Chancel Mbemba reveals he was chased by Celtic and Rangers when he left Newcastle

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Chancel Mbemba has claimed that Rangers were interested in him in 2018 ahead of the Europa League clash, The Daily Record reports.

FC Porto defender Mbemba has revealed that both Celtic and Rangers wanted to sign him. However, a deal was not possible and he made the summer 2018 switch to Porto instead.

The 25-year-old was at Newcastle United but had dropped down the pecking order. When he was looking for a new club in 2018, a move to Scotland was a possibility.

Mbemba recalled the interest from Rangers in his pre-match press conference. Porto host Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night and, ahead of the game, Mbemba said (via The Daily Record): “I know British football from my time at Newcastle and this won’t be an easy night for us against Rangers.

“Scottish football has improved in the last few years. The result in Rotterdam was a return to reality for us. We have to be fully focused for the match in Glasgow now. There was interest from Rangers and Celtic when I was at Newcastle but a deal wasn’t possible.”

TBR’s view

Now, Mbemba will line up against Rangers – the club that previously tried to sign him. The DR Congo international is doing well at Porto and he could have been an asset for the Gers.

It will be a good contest between Mbemba and either Alfredo Morelos or Jermain Defoe. This will be a telling test to judge whether Rangers should have pressed harder for Mbemba to join.