Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be hoping there are some funds available for a signing or two during the January transfer window.
While he has managed to get the best out of several players recently, there are a couple of positions which could be strengthened next month.
Midfield could be the one area that the Belgian is looking to bolster and the Light Blues are showing interest in a Croatian starlet ahead of the January window opening…
Rangers transfer news
According to a report from the Daily Mail last week, the Gers are showing interest in NK Osijek midfielder Marko Soldo and a bid is looking ‘increasingly likely’ next month.
Soldo might not have lots of experience, but he certainly fits the bill of a player who can only improve with a move to a club the size of Rangers, similar to the likes of Mohamed Diomande.
Former Rangers defender Borna Barisic has ‘given a glowing recommendation to the Ibrox hierarchy’ regarding the young midfielder, with Barisic himself being signed by Steven Gerrard from Osijek.
Could a move for the 21-year-old allow Clement to repeat the club’s Barisic masterclass?
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Rangers could replicate Barisic masterclass
Barisic joined the Ibrox side back in the summer of 2018, going on to make a total of 236 competitive appearances for the club, scoring ten goals and registering 54 assists.
He emerged as the first-choice left-back under Gerrard during his debut season and never relinquished the role across the next five seasons, winning every domestic honour available while helping the club reach the Europa League final.
Rangers have a rich history with Croatian players. Could Soldo be the next one to showcase their abilities at Ibrox?
Despite being aged just 21, Soldo has racked up 80 senior appearances in his homeland across three clubs and he is really beginning to demonstrate his potential this term.
In 24 appearances for Osijek, the midfielder has scored six goals and registered four assists, which is an impressive tally considering he has operated in a defensive midfield slot for the majority of his appearances.
|
Marko Soldo’s stats for NK Osijek this term (HNL) |
|
|---|---|
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Assists |
4 |
|
Shots per game |
0.9 |
|
Accurate passes per game |
14 |
|
Big chances created |
6 |
|
Total duels won per game |
5.4 |
|
Via Sofascore |
|
Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson dubbed the player as “incredibly important” for his club this season and judging by his statistics, he won’t be there for much longer.
Indeed, in the Croatian top flight this term, Soldo has created six big chances, averages 1.2 key passes per game and succeeds with 0.9 dribbles – a 52% success rate – which proves just how effective he is in the final third, despite being used as a defensive midfielder.
The youngster also averages 5.4 total duels won per game along with recovering 3.5 balls per game and making 1.8 tackles each match in the league, impressing with his defensive skill set.
The lack of experience shouldn’t deter Clement from making a move for the 21-year-old, especially given how well he has performed in Croatia’s top tier this season.
The question is, will Rangers have the funds to sign him?
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