Rangers could sign dream Barisic replacement in 6 ft 1 “unit”
Rangers are currently searching for a new left-back this January
Glasgow Rangers’ disappointing spell in La Manga came to an end over the weekend when they lost 1-0 to German team Hertha Berlin in a mid-season friendly.
The players had the opportunity to improve their match fitness after going two weeks without playing, of course, but the performance was, to put it mildly, lackluster.
Despite his conscious efforts to have the players play with “really heavy legs” in the lead-up to the match, Philippe Clement said that his team was unable to pull off a victory.
They return to domestic action this Saturday in the Scottish Cup and an improved performance could set the tone for the next few months ahead.
Before then, however, the Belgian will be aiming to bring in another player during the January transfer window, with a few new names recently linked with a move.
Rangers’ search for a left-back
Even if Clement needs to make improvements in a few areas with his senior team, the left-back position is now proving to be somewhat troublesome.
Although it looks like Ridvan Yilmaz will be leaving Ibrox this month, the Gers recently turned down a loan-to-buy proposal from Galatasaray for the youthful fullback.
It is clear that the 49-year-old coach needs to sign at least one left-sided defender this month when you consider Borna Barisic’s contract status, since he is approaching the last few months of his present agreement.
Gijs Smal, a Dutchman, has been linked to a move to Scotland, and Josh Doig was also listed as a player Clement was hoping to sign this month. However, it doesn’t appear like this will happen.
Journalist Alan Nixon has given a recent update on their chase for a new defender, saying: “Rangers chase Pring”, which is in reference to Bristol City full-back Cameron Pring.
The defender is currently under contract until 2026 and this suggests that City are under no pressure to move on one of their finest players this month, but could Clement make a concrete offer in the next few days?
The Englishman can also operate at centre-back and this versatility will be of huge importance to Clement as he aims to strengthen his squad.
Read more…
Dinamo Zagreb are showing interest in bringing Barisic back to his homeland amid rumours they will offer him a pre-contract deal, and it is beginning to look like the next few months will be his last in Glasgow.
Pring could be a more than able replacement for the Croatian, especially judging by his displays this term.
What Borna Barisic offers Rangers
Since the defender joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 for a transfer fee of approximately £2 million, it is safe to conclude that they have gotten their money’s worth out of him.
Over the past five and a half years, the 31-year-old has made 224 appearances for the Premiership squad. During his tenure with the Gers, his offensive prowess has been particularly evident.
During these 224 games, Barisic has actually contributed 62 goals to the game (nine goals and 53 assists), which works out to a goal involvement every 3.6 games. This is a respectable amount for a defender.
This season, Barisic is second in the league for critical passes per game (2.2) and fourth for assists (two) in the top flight. However, he only ranks seventh in the league for interceptions per game (0.9) and second in possession lost per game (17), which clearly demonstrates his capabilities.
Leave a Reply