The transfer window is really heating up at Rangers.
On Wednesday, the Light Blues signed not one but two new players, with Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez both arriving, the latter for a reported fee of £3.5m.
So, with the start of Champions League qualifying now less than three weeks away, Russell Martin’s mass overhaul of the squad he has inherited continues, with more new signings seemingly set to follow soon.
Rangers looking to bolster their back line
This Rangers squad requires a lot of surgery this summer, and this is no more so the case than in defence.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Leon Balogun has departed, joining Aris Limassol on a free transfer, while Robin Pröpper appears set to return to FC Twente too.
Meanwhile, Max Aarons has arrived on loan from Bournemouth, with Fernandez now signing too, but Martin is certainly still seeking to improve his defensive options.
Well, as reported by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Rangers are “in talks” with Wolverhampton Wanderers as they aim to sign Nasser Djiga on a season-long loan.
This would be a straight loan, with no option or obligation to buy, for the Burkina Faso international, who only joined Wolves from Crvena zvezda for a reported fee of £10m as recently as February.
The 22 year old made just six appearances in old gold following his arrival, his sole Premier League start coming at Crystal Palace in May, when Vítor Pereira made wholesale changes, with David Irvine of the Glasgow Times noting that Wolves are keen on this loan move to Ibrox so that he can ‘gain experience’ of British football.
Thus, could Djiga be a transformational addition for Rangers?
How Nasser Djiga will improve Rangers
The young defender is certainly highly-rated, described by Serbian Football Scout as a “duel monster” who reads the game well, but is also capable of a “last-ditch tackle” when required.
Meantime, writer Kai Watson believes he is the “ideal” centre-back for Martin’s possession-oriented style, labelling him a “strong passer” who possesses a “good understanding” of defensive play.
Before moving to Wolves, he caught the eye representing Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, helping them dump out Bodø/Glimt in the play-off round, before also enjoying league phase victories over Stuttgart and Young Boys, so let’s take a look at his statistics.
Minutes
720
1st
Completed passes
322
1st
Progressive passes
33
4th
Pass completion %
89.4%
3rd
Tackles
10
5th
% of dribblers tackled
100%
1st
Interceptions
4
5th
Blocks
7
4th
Clearances
27
2nd
Ball recoveries
28
4th
Touches
433
3rd
As the table outlines, Djiga ranks very highly in the Champions League for all statistics included, when compared to his former teammates, doing so at a very high level, considering Crvena zvezda came up against Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Benfica, PSV, Monaco and others during the league phase.
The centre-back’s defensive metrics are universally impressive but, more notably, so are his in-possession statistics, which will make him the perfect fit for a Martin team.
So, why will he be a more impactful signing than Aarons?
Well, in short, it’s due to what Rangers really need.
Aarons has presumably joined Rangers to play regularly, having seen just 338 minutes of action last season at Bournemouth and then Valencia, which raises serious question marks over current right-back and captain James Tavernier’s future.
Meantime, the Light Blues are desperate for central defensive reinforcements, with John Souttar and new arrival Fernandez currently the only options available to face Panathinaikos in a pivotal Champions League qualifier in just 19 days’ time.
So, while Djiga is clearly a high-potential player, he is also one that Rangers desperately require, making him a welcome and much-needed addition for Martin.
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