Rangers' resolve to be tested with £3m bid from English Championship for first-team fringe player

Burnley have been linked with a move for Rangers’ Zambian international striker Fashion Sakala, who has yet to feature under Giovanni van Bronckhorst this season.

The forward, signed on a free transfer from Oostende last year is a popular figure at Ibrox, but has fallen further down the pecking order with the attacking recruitment of Rabbi Matondo, Tom Lawrence, Mallik Tillman and Antonio Colak this summer.

Sakala has targetted at least 20 goal this season – doubling his tally from last term but admitted last month he was keen to have his involvement and role clarified with the manager while also being linked with moves to France and Spain.

England’s second tier could now also be an option with Vincent Kompany keen, according to the Scottish Daily Express.

The Lancashire club’s Belgian manager will be aware of Sakala from his three year spell at Oostende in the Belgian top flight and at one point actually scored against the former Manchester City captain when his side met Anderlecht in 2019.

Kompany went on to manage the Brussels based club before making the return to the north west of England this summer.

He could now seek the fast-paced winger as an alternative to the previously targeted Stuttgart winger Darko Churlinov.

Auxerre and Real Sociedad are also believed to have been keen on Sakala’s signature, but no move has so far been forthcoming. A £3m offer could tempt Rangers to make another healthy profit from their player trading model – although with Champions League progress continuing there may also be less willingness or need to sell a forward who did find the net 12 times last season.