Nils Koppen reveals Abdallah Sima held Rangers to ransom | OneFootball

Rangers’ Director of Football Recruitment Nils Koppen has confirmed that not only did Brighton want well over £5M (said to be around £7M) for the permanent capture of ex-Rangers winger Abdallah Sima, but Sima himself also priced himself completely out of the deal too.

Speaking as he has a lot lately on a tonne of issues that fans have been ‘curious’ about, Koppen revealed Brighton wanted too much, and that he could not persuade either Sima or his agent of the numbers Rangers could offer.

He said:

If we think back to Sam Lammers and the difficulties Rangers had getting him off the books, in the end the Dutchman accepted a 50% wage cut to join Twente, down from £22,000.

Sima wanted a massive wage rise from his reported £20,000pw salary at Brighton, and that was already Rangers’ roof limit as it was.

So it wasn’t happening, and while Sima said the right things when at Ibrox about wanting to remain in Govan, he also knew the club couldn’t afford the salary he wanted so was aware the whole time he was either returning to Brighton to fight for his place or get a move either on loan or permanent elsewhere. He ended up at Brest.

Greedy?

It’s a short career, players need to get as much as they can out of the game while they can, and in fairness to Sima he’s shining in France, 4 goals and assists in 7 for his new side.

He is a talented goalscorer for sure, and if he continues his development will end up a top class forward.

In short, Sima was never happening even though the club really wanted him.

He will now hope he impresses in France enough to earn the permanent deal. If they can afford him…