Rangers are facing a growing fear that defender Olwethu Makhanya could be sold in the January transfer window. The concern follows a direct comparison made by a former Ibrox hero to the abrupt exit of Jean-Alain Boumsong two decades ago.
Makhanya, the 21-year-old South African centre-back, has impressed since his arrival at the club. His performances have reportedly attracted attention from clubs in England's Premier League and the Bundesliga. The club is understood to be anxious about the possibility of a significant offer materialising when the market reopens.
Boumsong deja vu
A figure revered by the Rangers support raised the alarm privately this week. He told club officials the situation with Makhanya felt like a repeat of the Boumsong saga. "It's the same creeping fear," the former player said. "You see a player settle, perform, and then the big clubs start circling. It happened with Boumsong and it could happen again."
Jean-Alain Boumsong joined Rangers on a free transfer in the summer of 2004. He made a major impact in his first half-season before Newcastle United paid £8 million to sign him the following January. The sudden sale, driven by the club's financial situation at the time, remains a sore point for many supporters.
The current Rangers side sits second in the Premiership with 13 points from six games. They are five points behind leaders Celtic but carry the momentum of a 3-0 derby victory earlier this month.
Manager Philippe Clement has built a resilient defence, conceding only four league goals this season. Makhanya has been a part of that solidity. His potential departure would force a reshuffle in a backline already missing key personnel. José Cifuentes, Lawrence Shankland, and Youssef Chermiti are currently sidelined.
Rangers' next fixture is a home match against Dundee on 30 December. The club will hope to have clarity on Makhanya's future well before then. His current contract situation has not been publicly detailed by the Ibrox hierarchy.
