Unbelievable: The Rangers have finally disclosed their decision regarding head coach Gerard Gallant.
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The Ibrox team is said to have shown interest in Manhoef, who would set them back £2.5 million following a stellar campaign for Vitesse Arnhem.
Prior to Rangers’ Old Firm loss at Celtic this past weekend, manager Philippe Clement of Rangers insisted he wouldn’t talk about specific targets and declined to address any links with the 21-year-old winger.
Manhoef’s father, Melvin, is a legendary mixed martial arts and kickboxing fighter who won three MMA world championships and had one of the greatest knockout records ever before retiring last year.
Over the weekend, his son appeared as a guest on Zippo Sports’ Kick the Net program on the Dutch TV channel.
He also talked about his decision to pick football over martial arts.
“My father and mother separated when I was six or seven years old,” he stated. Naturally, though, I was forced into kickboxing before that.
“I put on the kickboxing gloves when I was 2.5 years old. I participated in both sports and began playing football when I turned four. I competed in fights and won the Dutch kickboxing championship.
Kickboxing is undoubtedly a tremendous passion of mine, but eventually I had to choose between the two sports, so I went with football.
“It’s fortunate that a lot of people are aware that he is my father.
But I want to pursue my own interests.
“He made sacrifices with his family in order to pursue his successful career. Alongside my mother, I grew up.
Because of my last name, I have occasionally felt pressure in my career, but it hasn’t been too bad.
“I heard a lot about it when I first joined the Vitesse Arnhem first team, and people were always inquiring about him.
“I used to say, ‘what about my mother!'”