AEK Athens are said to be open to selling James Penrice if the right offer arrives, with the left-back’s position having weakened significantly under Marko Nikolic during pre-season. For Rangers, who had already shown interest in the 27-year-old, that could yet create another opening in a search for added competition at left-back.
Penrice joined AEK Athens from Hearts last summer in a £2million move, and there was already some movement around him in the January window when Rangers attempted to lay the groundwork for a deal. Their advances were rebuffed at the time, but the latest reports suggest the situation may now be different.
Why Penrice's situation has changed
The key development is not simply that AEK Athens might listen to offers. It is that Penrice appears to have slipped down the pecking order under Nikolic, despite a slight uptick in minutes during the final quarter of the league campaign. Pre-season was supposed to offer a chance to reset, but his performances did not improve his standing.
That matters because clubs rarely move to cash in unless they believe the player is no longer central to the plan. In this case, the picture points towards a possible sale if a suitable bid comes in, which is exactly the kind of scenario Rangers will be watching closely.
Rangers remain part of the picture
The interest from Rangers is important because their need at left-back has been clear, with Corrie Ndaba also mentioned as part of that search. Penrice would fit the profile of a player already known in the market, with recent experience abroad and a transfer history that is still fresh in the conversation.
Nothing in the reports suggests a deal is imminent, and AEK Athens are under no pressure to move quickly if they do not receive the valuation they want. But the fact that Penrice has gone from a £2million arrival to a possible sale within a year shows how quickly a transfer situation can change.
For now, the question is whether Rangers turn previous interest into something more concrete, or whether another club steps in first. What is clear is that Penrice’s status at AEK Athens is no longer secure, and that alone makes this one to watch.
