Chelsea are among a number of clubs to contact Jefte’s agents and express interest in the Rangers star.

Reports in Brazil on Monday claimed the Londoners were ready to open talks with Gers chiefs over a move for the promising 21-year-old, who joined from Rio de Janeiro giants Fluminense last summer. But Record Sport understands that so far there has been no direct contact from the Premier League giants.

However, the player’s representatives have been in touch with Ibrox chiefs to inform the club that Chelsea are leading a string of suitors from England and Europe who are currently keeping tabs on the left-back as they weigh up a potential swoop. If Jefte does depart, his former Brazilian employers would be due a 20 per cent cut of the transfer fee.

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Jefte joined Gers for £700,000 last summer having seen an earlier January switch fall through. The defender spent last season on loan at Apoel Nicosia, where he won a Cypriot league title.

He’s so far made made 32 appearances for Philippe Clement’s team having carved out a regular first-team slot. Rangers bosses are determined to re-establish the club’s stalled player-trading model and will be willing to negotiate so long as the price is right.

Elsewhere Record Sport understands Rangers are set to hand rising star Findlay Curtis a new three year deal. The talented midfielder made his debut in the Scottish Cup against Fraserburgh and then followed that up as he came off the bench against Manchester United in the Europa League.

The 18-year-old’s existing contract was set to expire in the summer but he is now set to be confirmed on a long-term deal. Rangers’ technical director Nils Koppen has moved quickly to get things tied up. Curtis signed his first professional contract in July 2022 and it was then extended by another year to this month.

Curtis is rated highly by Philippe Clement and is seen as one of the top talents coming through the Rangers’ Academy. The teenager has also been promoted to the Rangers first-team after making a major impact in the B team. Curtis has been at Rangers since he was 12 and was also part of the team that won the Scottish Youth Cup last year.