‘Major Purchase’ – Rangers-linked ace claims club may force him out amid ‘a lot of interest’

Kevin van Veen has denied he is looking to leave Groningen in January amid links to a Rangers move but admits the Dutch side “may want to get rid of me”.

The Belgian striker told ESPN, as per the Daily Record (27 November), that there is “a lot of interest” in him ahead of the January transfer window after previously revealing the Light Blues were also looking at him in the summer when he left Motherwell.

Philippe Clement has been tipped to sign a striker in the winter and Van Veen had suggested he was looking to return to Scotland with his partner expecting their first child, with the Netherlands move having not worked out so far.

Van Veen said: “Maybe Groningen wants to get rid of me. That’s right, there is quite a lot of interest. But I never indicated that I wanted to leave. But Groningen may want to get rid of me, since I was a major purchase.

“But if it is up to me, I want to succeed here, and not leave this club and not leave this club without having done what I would have liked to do.

“But on the other hand, it concerns a lot of people who have to make that decision in winter I think.”

On record

Only time will tell whether he is genuinely on his way back to Scotland, or indeed Ibrox, in a couple of months time but Van Veen is hardly ruling it out.

Amid suggestions of a falling out with Groningen manager Dick Lukkien his latest comments sound like a player wanting to get his side out so he isn’t accused of having quit on the Dutch side.

If he is putting the responsibility back on the club ahead of an exit then the chances of him becoming the immediate answer to Clement’s plans in attack probably increase.

Lawrence Shankland has been heavily tipped to be the man the Belgian coach goes after in the New Year but the Scot will be much harder, and more expensive, to get hold of midseason.

It is anything but a foregone conclusion but if Van Veen has made a point of mentioning Rangers interest once ahead of the window and even now is still suggesting a “decision” needs making in the winter then there is at least a chance of him joining the Light Blues.

And with a restricted budget a distinct possibility in January thanks to the summer overhaul under Michael Beale the 32-year-old might be a solid short-term answer after 25 SPFL goals last season.

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