FIGHT CLUB
Rangers target Antonio Colak was ‘assaulted’ by a former Ibrox flop in CAR PARK
RANGERS transfer target Antonio Colak was once allegedly assaulted by a former Ibrox flop.
The Croatian striker, the subject of an increased £2 million bid plus add-ons to his Greek side PAOK, claimed that he was punched in the head in a post-game car park brawl.
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Colak, 28, was allegedly attacked in 2020 by Eros Grezda, the Albanian winger banished from former manager Steven Gerrard's first-team squad after being involved in a spitting incident against Northern Irish side Ballymena a year earlier.
The shock incident occurred after Grezda’s Osijek side's 3-2 defeat against Rijeka.
Reports in Croatia claimed the hothead jabbed Rijeka's goal hero Colak in the head in the car park outside Rujevica stadium.
He was soon escorted to the police station and under Croatian FA rules faced a ban between six months and two years.
However he later apologised after claiming he had been verbally abused over his nationality and that this had set off the alleged assault.
Colak then posted what appeared to be CCTV footage of the incident alongside a caption that read: "As can be seen in the surveillance camera footage, I was passing by my vehicle and at the call of my name I stopped and waited, thinking that he would tell me something or ask me something."
Grezda was later banned for four games, fined £50,000 by his club and £89,000 by local courts.
We revealed yesterday how Rangers have upped the ante in their determined pursuit of striker Colak by tabling an increased £2 million bid plus add-ons to PAOK.
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SunSport revealed the Gers had initially offered £1.75 million for the Croatian international — with the Greek side responding with a demand for £2.5 million.
Now, though, the Europa League finalists have made a fresh move for the 28-year-old who has made it known he’ll be happy to head for Ibrox if and when a transfer fee can be agreed.
And not only are Light Blues chiefs - aware Colak is now Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first choice of a number of transfer options - prepared to pay more up front they’ve also told their PAOK counterparts they’ll pay further cash installments based on appearances and success, including in the Champions League.
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One possible delay to any agreement being reached is the fact that the Greek club are trying to find a replacement.
PAOK made it known several weeks ago they were keen to cash-in the front man who cost them £2.5 million from Rijeka in 2020.
Colak’s not been a prolific success in the Greek top flight, managing just three goals in 24 games.
But he was far more impressive during a loan spell at Malmo between March-December 2021, claiming 14 in 26 games in Sweden’s Allsvenskan as they won the title with even more spectacular form helping them reach the Champions League group stages.
Colak struck a killer double at Ibrox last August to knock Rangers out of the qualifiers as Malmo celebrated a 4-2 aggregate triumph.
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