The cash ring-fenced for the initial £5M on Malik Tillman is stretching to breaking point with Rangers’ pursuit of Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers as Serie A side Torino join the hunt.

Widely-understood to be a big Michael Beale target and someone the manager has significantly earmarked to replace Alfredo Morelos, the Belgium-born Nigeria international has been in discussions with the club and Beale, and it had looked like major headway was being made over terms and price.

Unfortunately Italian outlets have confirmed the emergence of Il Toro as a rival for the 28-year-old striker’s signature, which is not surprising given his record in Serie A was solid for a doomed side in that division last season, and he’s an experienced campaigner with a very good career stat.

But Rangers had the £5M allocated for Tillman in use for Dessers, and if the price rises it may well push Rangers out.

We understand that the club is able to go to around £6.5M tops for this player, but that is the limit and not one the club wants to go to.

But Dessers is a highly-rated player and one the club absolutely wants to secure if a deal can be done with Cremonese.

Sadly, Torino are a strong Serie A side with a very credible 10th-place finish last season, so Dessers would be getting a solid move back to the league he was just relegated from, and a stronger team who can offer a slim chance of a European place.

Of course, with Rangers the latter is secure, but the Scottish Premiership will struggle to compete with Serie A, and while the upper wage limit at Ibrox is £40,000 only a special case will get close to securing that salary.

Torino average wage? They have around 6 or 7 players earning more than that so they have the financial muscle to tempt Dessers.

We’ll just have to see who the striker wants at the end of the day.