Rangers are now formally in a genuine player tussle with Hellas Veronas after multiple sources confirmed the club is NOW interested in Josh Doig following Veronas’ own interest in both Ridvan Yilmaz and Borna Barisic.

In a bizarre twist of fate, a fictional story about Josh Doig has ‘become’ reality, with Rangers and Philippe Clement now looking at the former Hibs left back after Veronas approached the Govan side over both the Turkey international and his Croatian club team mate.

It is understood Borna Barisic is extremely keen on the move to Italy, and that the run of games for Ridvan has catapulted him to first choice at Ibrox, with the Croat understood to be currently injured, albeit it was never officially confirmed.

But the ex-Osijek defender feels his time at Rangers is at an end and would like a fresh start and a fresh challenge in a new league before it’s too late for him.

Meanwhile he also sees the young pretender now securing the LB berth on merit and after a fine display v Celtic and an outstanding one v Kilmarnock Rangers supporters and Philippe Clement are seeing what he brings to the table.

But that form has also alerted European clubs to a young Turkey international, who’s valued at the same price Josh Doig currently is, so it’s definitely an intriguing bunch of scenarios between Rangers and the Serie A side.

Rangers fans now love Ridvan, who has won most of the support over despite a minority of misguided souls arguing he was ‘too small’ to be a defender, and he has just secured that first team slot after 16 months. It was a staggeringly long wait but he’s finally, it seems, first pick.

But Veronas now want him.

In a curious twist, could he now go to Italy, and Doig comes to Scotland?

As for Barisic, he lacks much stock value any more, he could actually be used as a makeweight in any deal, but then that would leave Rangers with just one LB in Doig.

It’s a position that now sees a lot of movement – and we’ll be very interested in seeing its shape come February 1st.