GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST is reportedly set to kickstart his Besiktas revolution with the signing of one of his former Rangers players.
The ex-Ibrox gaffer, 49, has returned to management with the Turkish club after his appointment was confirmed earlier this month.
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Van Bronckhorst will go head-to-head with former Rangers stars John Lundstram and Borna Barisic after they both secured moves to rivals Trabzonspor, while Ryan Kent is still contracted with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
But there could be another ex-Ger en route to Turkey as the Dutchman is keen to reunite with at least one of them in Istanbul.
Van Bronckhorst has been linked with old skipper James Tavernier but he faces a potential battle with fellow ex-Rangers boss Steven Gerrard who wants to bring the veteran along with Connor Goldson to Saudi Arabia.
But the 49-year-old has also been chasing playmaker Tom Lawrence – and it looks like he has stepped up his interest in the midfielder.
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Lawrence, 30, has one year on his Rangers deal but he could depart early and bank his club a fee by joining the manager who brought him to Glasgow in 2022.
He was tipped for big things in Govan but he has been blighted by injuries ever since making the switch from Derby County.
And according to Kartal Haber, Lawrence is set to kickstart his career in Istanbul with his old gaffer, who is lining up an official swoop for the player.
He managed 32 appearances for the club last season but he could part ways with Philippe Clement and be the latest player to head for the exit door.
Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin, Barisic and Lundstram have all left, while Tavernier, Goldson, Cyriel Dessers and Todd Cantwell have all been linked with moves away as well.
Meanwhile, Van Bronckhorst has already used one of his Scottish connections to bring an experienced coach from the cinch Championship to Turkey.
Besiktas have agreed a deal with Queen‘s Park to snap up former Celtic academy coach Anton McElhone.
He joined the Parkhead club in September 2021 during Ange Postecoglou’s reign, after spells as an assistant boss at Morton, Bradford City and New England Revolution. He was also briefly interim manager at Morton.
Now he will start a new chapter of his career with the Dutchman in the Turkish Super Lig just months after returning to the Spiders, where he landed his first ever coaching gig.
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