Ian Maatsen to Rangers transfer near miss revealed as Gio van Bronckhorst wanted star before Dortmund rise

Former Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed he failed in a bid to bring Borussia Dortmund star Ian Maatsen to Ibrox.

The left-back is preparing for the Champions League final after helping the Bundesliga side pull off a shock 2-0 aggregate victory over Paris Saint-Germain - and the 22-year-old will now have his eyes set on lifting the famous trophy at Wembley next month. However, his career could have taken a different path had Van Bronckhorst got his man in the summer of 2022.

The Netherlands U21 international had come off an impressive campaign with Coventry City during the 2021/22 campaign - and had returned to parent club Chelsea to review his next move away from Stamford Bridge. He would opt for Burnley where he helped the Clarets gain promotion back to the English Premier League - but the former Rangers boss has revealed the Scottish Premiership side were among those chasing a deal at that time.

Speaking to RTL7 studio about the Maatsen - who has been a regular for Dortmund since been shipped out on loan by Chelsea again in January - the former Ibrox boss said: “He was still on my list for Rangers. I was very charmed by him to bring him to Rangers.

"That didn't work out in the end, but he is a player with a lot of drive, who always looks forward and is also becoming stronger defensively. He scores goals and that is certainly very nice to watch."