AEL Limassol, Rangers’ Europa League adversaries, have confirmed the acquisition of Russian striker Aleksander Kokorin, although the agreement is too late for the player to play at Ibrox.
The Gers are preparing for a double header against the Cypriots after drawing AEL Limassol, Sparta Prague, and Real Betis in the Europa League group rounds.
However, with the competition’s squads already submitted – with Rangers causing quite a stir – the AEL Limassol signing of Aleksander Kokorin arrived too late for the player to be registered.
Aleksander Kokorin, once the best potential in Russian football, has had quite a career and joins AEL Limassol on loan from Serie A club Fiorentina until the end of the season.
Rangers will not recruit a new player from AEL Limassol. Alexander Kokorin’s
Starting his career at Dynamo Moscow, Anzhi triggered the striker’s €19 million (£16 million) release clause in 2013.
Within a month, Aleksander Kokorin was back in Moscow, where he stayed for three years until joining Zenit St Petersburg.
After serving time in prison, the 45-times capped Russian forward would go on loan to Sochi and Spartak Moscow before joining Fiorentina in January 2021.
Aleksander Kokorin’s previous two and a half seasons in Italy have been a letdown, and the bleached blond striker has now gone to AEL Limassol.
While the setting is set for the striker to reclaim his form in Cyprus, the fact that AEL signed him so late will prevent him from facing Rangers.
Rangers’ Europa League campaign kicks begin a week from Thursday (21/09) at home against Real Betis, with matches against AEL Limassol scheduled for October 5th in Cyprus and November 30th in Scotland.
