FC Utrecht did all they could to sign Sam Lammers from Rangers this summer, evening wining and dining the striker.
Lammers was snapped up by Rangers last summer, but struggled to make an impact at Ibrox during the first half of the season and was shipped out on loan to Utrecht.
He was in sensational form for Utrecht and his goals fired the side into a playoff for a Europa Conference League spot.
They were desperate to sign him from Rangers on a permanent basis, but failed and he linked up with FC Twente.
Dutch journalist Tim Reedijk insists there was nothing more than Utrecht could have reasonably done and they even took Lammers out to dinner.
“They called him endlessly, they went out for dinner, they had a meeting. A lot was done to convince him”, Reedijk said on Voetbal International.
“But they also found it to be irresponsible to offer him a contract given his salary demands.
“I do sense from Utrecht that they also think it says something about the relationships within the Eredivisie, that NEC also became concrete for him and that FC Twente managed to bring him in, despite his salary demands.”
Twente paid Rangers a fee of just €2m to sign Lammers, far below the €4m the Gers splashed to land him from Atalanta.
However, there are add-ons included in the deal and Rangers could get close to €3m if they are triggered.
