Rangers in talks to sign “immaculate” star

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed the first signing of the Russell Martin era last week when they unveiled Max Aarons as their latest arrival.

The right-back has joined on a season-long loan from Bournemouth to bolster the manager’s options at right-back, becoming the second signing of the summer after Lyall Cameron, who agreed to join in January.

Although Martin has never managed him before, the former England U21 international is a player the manager knows well from their time together as players at Norwich City in England.

The boss told the Rangers website: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player. He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side.”

The English full-back is now looking to kick on and get back to his best on the pitch after a difficult couple of years since moving on from Norwich in 2023.

Why Max Aarons is a risky signing for Rangers

On the one hand, this is a relatively low-risk signing for the Light Blues in the sense that he is only on loan for the season and they do not have an obligation to make it permanent next summer.

This means that the Gers will not have wasted millions of pounds on a long-term deal if Aarons ends up struggling and failing to make the grade in Glasgow.

On the other hand, it is a risky signing for Martin through the lens of next season, because the way the last two years have gone for the defender suggests that there are no guarantees that he will be a success.

Aarons has missed 17 matches through injury and only played 31 times in all competitions since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, including nine appearances this term.

This shows that Rangers have brought in a full-back who has not played much football in the last two years, whilst suffering through injuries, and his last two successful seasons, with Norwich, came in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

As you can see in the table above, Aarons showed his quality in and out of possession at right-back for the Canaries in those two title-winning seasons in the Championship, but it has been years since that success.

This is why the 25-year-old gem is a risky signing with next season in mind, despite having the potential to be a key player, given how long it has been since his last successful campaign.

Rangers in talks to sign English defender

Rangers, however, are also eyeing up another defender from England who would arrive with less risk attached and be a better signing for Martin.

According to the Daily Record, talks are still ongoing between the Scottish Premiership giants and Championship side Leicester City over a deal for Conor Coady.

The report claims that Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises have invested £20m to bolster the club’s budget for the summer transfer window, yet it remains to be seen how much of that budget will be eaten up by a move for the former England international.

Coady’s current contract at the King Power is due to expire in the summer of 2026, and the ongoing talks suggest that the Foxes will not allow him to leave on a free transfer earlier than expected, which means that the Gers will have to pay a fee for his services.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Ibrox side will be able to reach an agreement with Leicester to bring the centre-back to Glasgow this summer.

Why Conor Coady would be a better signing than Max Aarons

If Rangers can get a deal over the line for Coady in the coming days or weeks then they will land an even better signing than Aarons for the defence.

As aforementioned, it has been several years since the former Norwich starlet enjoyed a successful season on the pitch, as he has been a bit-part player for Bournemouth, and on loan at Valencia, in the last two years.

Coady, however, played 22 times in the Premier League for Leicester last season and helped the Foxes to secure the Championship title in the previous term.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the veteran central defender showcased his impressive quality in possession in a ball-dominant Enzo Maresca side in the second tier in England, which speaks to his suitability for a possession-oriented Martin style of play.

As you can see in the table above, the 32-year-old titan was one of the best centre-backs in the league, if not the best, at progressing the ball through the thirds to build up attacks for his team.

These statistics suggest that Coady, who was lauded as an “immaculate professional” by ex-manager Sean Dyche, would be the perfect fit for Martin’s style of play, as he can ensure that dominating possession does not involve constant sideways and backwards passing, with his progressive play at the back.

These performances were also in the 2023/24 campaign, which means that he has demonstrable success on the pitch in a recent season, unlike Aarons, whilst the centre-back also completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League for the Foxes last season, which suggests that he would not be as risky of a signing.

At the age of 32, Coady would arrive as an experienced and proven performer who could hit the ground running on and off the pitch as a leader for the Light Blues, which is another reason why he could be an even better signing than Aarons.

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