RANGERS reversed the Ibrox transfer procedure with some style

yesterday when they unloaded unsettled Frenchman Basile Boli to Monaco

in a deal which was worth around #2m to the Glasgow club.

After having splashed out more than #9m on summer imports, manager

Walter Smith sold Boli in a deal which effectively means that Rangers

have brought in Gordan Petric from Dundee United for nothing.

Boli spent most of the season as a misfit in Rangers defence, unhappy

with life in Glasgow, the style of football he had to face in the

premier division, and with his lot as a whole.

Now, Rangers have sent him back to France and while some of the fine

detail has still to be worked out, the Ibrox side must be happy that

this brief episode has ended.

Yesterday Boli said: ''It is tremendous for me to return to France and

to a top club. That is what I have wanted to do throughout the summer. I

wanted to win a championship medal in Scotland and did so.

''Now, I want to win another French championship medal, this time with

Monaco. This is where I will be happy.''

The deal has just beaten the French signing deadline and Boli will now

concentrate on a rebirth of his career in France at domestic and

national levels.

Meanwhile, Russian Oleg Salenko was granted his work permit and can

now play for the Ibrox club.

And, if Rangers reach the Champions League, then Salenko will be

eligible for these matches.

* EVERTON'S hopes of completing the #5m transfer of Andrei Kanchelskis

in advance of tonight's European Cup-winners' Cup registration deadline

appear unlikely to be realised.

Manchester United director and club solicitor Maurice Watkins had

flown out to the Ukraine on Sunday for talks with the winger's former

club, Shaktyor Donetsk, in a bid to reach a compromise over their claims

to a #1.1m cut of the fee.

But Watkins returned to Britain yesterday without any conclusion to

the saga being in sight.

United club spokesman Ken Ramsden explained: ''Maurice had two

meetings with officials at Donetsk on Sunday, but returned because he

felt there was nothing to be gained by staying on.

''The situation has not been resolved at this stage and, although his

meetings with the Ukrainians were amicable, it was felt that the next

moves could be made from home.''

If there is no resolution to the matter, it seems certain that

Kanchelskis -- still officially registered as a United player although

he has made it clear he will not play for the Old Trafford club again --

will not be available to Everton for the first round of their

Cup-winners' Cup campaign next month.

* NAPOLI'S Colombian striker Freddy Rincon signed a three-year

contract with Spanish champions Real Madrid yesterday for an undisclosed

fee.