The defender was left out of Rangers’ Europa League squad amid the speculation surrounding his future, while new arrival Dujon Sterling has been the preferred backup for Borna Barisic.
Yilmaz, who earns £11,000 per week at Rangers [Ertan Suzgun, July 2022], could be on his way to Galatasaray, with the Turkish giants showing interest in the left-back [Tivibu Sport, 24 May], as their transfer window is set to close tonight.
Yilmaz had also been linked with a move back to Besiktas, the club from whom he joined the Glasgow side, but the club president claimed he would be playing more games at Rangers this season [SportsDigitale, 12 September] – which has turned out not to be the case so far.
The Turkish defender originally arrived at Ibrox with a view to being the long-term successor for Barisic but has failed to make his impression on Michael Beale. He has featured just once this season, in the 1-0 defeat to Celtic at Ibrox, as he replaced Sterling for the final 25 minutes.
Barisic’s injury was seen as a potential opportunity for Yilmaz to prove himself, with that chance falling in the biggest game of their season so far, but his omission from the first-team was as clear of a sign his career at Ibrox has stalled as you’re likely to see.
Having signed him for a potential £5million deal [Sky Sports] just a year ago, it seems unlikely that the club would be able to recoup the same fee after his stagnation at Ibrox in the past year, and a loan move may be the preferred option.
This type of transfer was mooted as part of the rumour suggesting a move back to his previous club and could be completed by the end of the Turkish transfer window as the best solution for all parties involved.