Gers rubber-stamped a £4.75million deal for the forward just minutes before the winter window slammed shut

20:13, 05 Feb 2026Updated 20:15, 05 Feb 2026

Ryan Naderi(Image: SNS Group)

Hansa Rostock sporting director Amir Shapourzadeh admits Rangers’ successful transfer pursuit of Ryan Naderi in January gave him sleepless nights right up until deadline day.

And the Hansa chief admits their hard line stance on not selling the player in the window was only altered when they were presented with an offer that made the sale of the striker the most expensive 3. Liga player in the history of Germany’s third tier.

After a protracted saga in the closing days of the winter window, Gers sealed a £4.75million deal for the towering forward, submitting their paperwork just in time to announce Naderi’s arrival long after the 11pm deadline. Naderi, 22, was the Light Blues fourth and final signing of the January window, following the arrivals of Tochi Chukwuani, Tuur Rommens and Wolfsburg loanee Andreas Skov Olsen.

Naderi got his first taste of what Rangers is all about by appearing as a second half substitute in Wednesday night’s 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock that has moved Danny Rohl’s side to within three points of Premiership leaders Hearts.

Naderi fired in eight goals in 18 matches for Hansa in the first half of the season to help them get into promotion contention. And while Shapourzadeh says their hopes of reaching Germany’s second tier have suffered a blow, Shapourzadeh concedes that Rangers big money bid was just too good to turn down.

Speaking to Ostsee Zeitung , he said: “We had short nights, sleepless nights; I’m sure you can see it in the dark circles under our eyes. It was insane how dynamic the whole thing was. It started back in the summer and then just kept gaining momentum from December until the final deadline day.

“A lot of clubs called. I can’t even say exactly when each club contacted us. It must have been about four weeks ago when we got a call from Glasgow (Rangers), who expressed interest in the player. We initially brushed that off. But things continued.

“Glasgow then sent us an offer with two scenarios: a winter transfer and a summer transfer. We stuck to our position of not wanting to let the player go in the winter, until last Sunday afternoon when things took a completely different turn.

“They presented figures that you, as a third-division club, simply can’t refuse.

“It’s important to remember: none of us can guarantee promotion – with Ryan or without. Nor could anyone guarantee he’d stay injury-free – which, of course, we hope.

“But we had to carefully weigh the pros and cons – the player’s wishes and the sums of money being offered. After intensive deliberations, the club’s governing bodies came to the conclusion that the transfer and the final offer were the right ones to approve.”

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