As the Saudi window closes, Rangers receive a £21.5 million Europa League boost.
As Real Betis defender Luiz Felipe joins Saudi Pro League team Al-Ittihad, Rangers receive a £21.5 million Europa League boost.
The Brazilian-born Italian centre back completed a last-minute transfer to the Middle East, leaving the La Liga team no time to find a replacement.
Luiz Felipe is the most recent player to be lured away from European football by the Saudi Pro League, according to Fabrizio Romano, who estimates the sum at about €25 million (£21.5 million).
With the signings of Jota from Celtic, N’Golo Kante from Chelsea, and Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, Al-Ittihad has been one of the busiest names in the Saudi transfer market.
The former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho and Luiz Felipe are expected to team up in Jeddah this summer, as other well-known players move throughout the Saudi Pro League.
Included in this is Rangers forward Fashion Sakala, who has had a promising start to his career playing for Al-Fayha in Saudi Arabia.
Luis Felipe leaves Real Betis before the Rangers’ debut.
With the two teams due to square off in the Europa League opener at Ibrox next week, Real Betis’ loss is Rangers’ gain.
Real Betis has made a tidy profit from the sale of Luiz Felipe, but they are unable to sign a replacement after the European transfer market closed abruptly last week.
Instead, the team will probably need to rely on Argentine international German Pezzella and former Barcelona and Dortmund defender Marc Bartra to stop the Rangers offence.
Even though Real Betis has a talented team, Rangers fans are hoping for a response from their team in the Europa League match at Ibrox.
The Scottish team’s sluggish domestic start was added to by the club’s terrible start to the season, and the result was a humiliating loss to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League Playoff.
While Michael Beale has been given a temporary reprieve from being executed by Rangers, the pressure will mount if he is unable to defeat a Real Betis team that has been depleted as a result of the sale of Luis Felipe.
