One-time Rangers target Albert Gudmundsson is now being linked with an £10 million move to Serie A giants AC Milan after a superb season at Genoa.
The Iceland international may have wondered if he’d just booked himself a ticket on a sinking vessel; joining Genoa from AZ Alkmaar for as little as £1.5 million back in January 2022.
The Ligurian outfit would be relegated just a few months later, after all.
But they say a good captain never leaves his ship. And, while Gudmundsson might not wear the armband around his bicep, he certainly took on a leadership role as Genoa bounced back after just one season in Serie B.
The stylish forward scored 14 times in total as the Grifone sealed automatic promotion behind Frosinone. According to Sky Italia and Primo Canale, Gudmundsson’s talismanic performances in the division below caught the eye of Bologna, Fiorentina and even seven-time European champions AC Milan.
Rangers could have had Albert Gudmundsson for free
Genoa value Gudmundsson at around £10 million.
There is also interest from a number of as-yet unnamed Premier League clubs (Gazzetta dello Sport).
To think, it is only 12 months since Rangers could have signed the one-time PSV Eindhoven man for absolutely nothing. According to The Telegraph, both Rangers and Old Firm rivals Celtic were ‘going head to head’ at the time to sign Gudmundsson on a pre-contract agreement, his deal at AZ Alkmaar expiring at the end of 2022/23.
The Scottish giants were pipped to the post by Genoa, however. And their loss has most certainly been the Grifone’s gain.
“Albert was crucial, like all the rest of the team,” Genoa coach and former Milan frontman Alberto Gillardino smiled after promotion was secured (Tuttomercatoweb).
“Albert was put in a position by the team to express himself in this way. He showed that he has quality, technique, and control. We were good at enhancing his qualities and he showed them off.”
