Rangers striker Kris Boyd has emerged as a January transfer target for Turkish side Galatasaray. The club are reported to be ready to offer Boyd wages of up to £36,000 a week.
Boyd is out of contract at the end of the season but Gala’s Dutch manager Frank Rijkaard is set to offer Rangers £500,000 to take the player in January, according to the Scottish News of the World. Walter Smith revealed this week that Rangers no longer have to sell players in the new year but, with Boyd yet to agree a new deal, the Turkish side are ready to make their move.
The striker closed in on Henrik Larsson’s SPL scoring record on Saturday with two goals that took his tally to 151. Galatasaray hope that the prolific marksman can help them land the Turkish title and are prepared to treble the player’s current deal.
Turkish sides Kayserispor and Trabzonspor were interested in the forward last season but received no encouragement from Boyd, who has said he would like to remain at Rangers. However, the Ibrox club’s financial situation means that there has been no improved contract offered and the lure of a lucrative contract abroad may prove tempting if Boyd doesn’t get the deal he wants.
Walter Smith will not wish to lose a player he sees as key to Ranger’s SPL hopes. The Rangers manager paid tribute to his top scorer after Saturday’s match at Falkirk and pondered how successful he could be if he stayed at Ibrox for life.
"It's difficult to put his goals into perspective,” Smith said.
”When you look at the age he is and the opportunity he has to keep adding to that tally, it's a fantastic achievement for a player to have scored that number of goals."
Galatasaray are not the only club to be linked with the striker, who could return to the international fold under the next Scotland manager. Alex McLeish is said to be pondering a bid to take Boyd to Birmingham City, while Serie A side Livorno have also been linked with a move.
