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Willian Pacho among the PSG celebrations(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Rangers once battled with Philippe Clement to sign a young South American defender named Willian Pacho.

But if you recognise that name, it's more likely because you just watched him sent Liverpool crashing out of the Champions League.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a rapid three-year from complete obscurity into becoming one of the best central defenders on the planet.



He's had three transfers since 2022 – a £4.5m move to Royal Antwerp, a £13.5m move to Eintracht Frankfurt, and a £38m move to PSG – and in his first season in Ligue 1, he's completely torn it apart.

It was after the first of those transfers, back in January 2023, that both Rangers and Monaco, the latter then managed by a certain Belgian manager who would soon take the reins at Ibrox, had keen eyes on him.

We carried reports from Belgium at that time claiming the rapidly rising Ecuadorian had been scouted by both clubs, with Michael Beale then chasing a centre-back during his first window at Ibrox.

As far as Rangers were concerned, their priorities soon shifted and they signed Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin instead.

Monaco missed out as well, and the following summer, Pacho signed for Frankfurt.

A year later it was a move to PSG, Pacho stacking up a total transfer haul of £56m already over the course of his skyrocketing career.

(Image: Getty Images)Article continues below

And after slamming the door in Liverpool's face last night, PSG overturning a 1-0 deficit from Paris to beat Arne Slot's team on penalties at Anfield, it's likely that won't be the last mega move he sees.


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