Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement may have made a host of signings during the transfer window, but it is clear he missed out on several big targets too.
Albion Rrahmani was the notable name to slip through Clement’s grasp, as the striker looked like he could have made the move to Ibrox, but instead, it was Sparta Prague who were the beneficiaries.
The Belgian isn’t the only manager to see key targets failing to make the move to Scotland, moving elsewhere instead.
Steven Gerrard had several players in his sights during his spell, while Michael Beale eyed a couple of players who would have immediately improved the first-team squad.
One such player has just sealed a move to Paris Saint-Germain, signifying that the club clearly messed up majorly with regard to missing out on him.
Rangers wanted Willian Pacho in 2023
Back in January 2023, during the early stages of Beale’s reign at Ibrox, it was clear he was aiming to bolster his squad in order to catch Celtic in the title race.
According to reports in Belgium at the time (via the Daily Record), the Gers had sent scouts to monitor Royal Antwerp defender Willian Pacho, who had shone on the continent following his move from Ecuador just a year previously.
It wasn’t just Rangers who were keen, with AS Monaco showing plenty of interest in the youngster, but nothing materialised, and he joined Eintracht Frankfurt that summer, sealing a move to the Bundesliga.
Following a wonderful season in Germany, PSG came in for the centre-back, managing to bring him to France, and it was certainly a what-could-have-been moment for the Light Blues.
How Willian Pacho has performed since joining PSG
The French giants shelled out a staggering €45m (£38m) to sign the defender, who became the first-ever Ecuadorian in the club’s history in the process.
Dubbed as “absolutely world-class” by his manager at Frankfurt, Dino Toppmoller, Pacho clearly has all the required attributes to perform at the highest level.
Accurate passes
79.7
Tackles
1.7
Ball recoveries
3.7
Total duels won
3.7
Clearances
3.7
Touches
97.7
In the German top flight last term, Pacho ranked in the top 12% for ball recoveries per 90, while ranking in the top 13% for successful take-on percentage per 90, showcasing his abilities to win back the ball and take on opposition players regularly.
The centre-back has already begun to shine for PSG in Ligue 1, averaging a 95% pass success rate per game, while also winning 61% of his total duels and losing possession just 5.7 times per game.
These statistics are evidence of him settling into the French side with ease, and he could become one of their most important players this term.
Rangers clearly made a mistake by not bringing him to Ibrox when they had the chance back at the start of 2023, especially as he could have been available for a realistic transfer fee.
Now, Pacho is starring in one of the biggest teams in Europe with the chance to win the Champions League.
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