As quoted by the Daily Record, Steven Gerrard has spoken about the future of Lassana Coulibaly at Rangers.
The 22-year-old Mali international, is currently on a season-long loan from French Ligue 1 side, Angers.
“There’s certainly a place and a part for Lassana to play between now and the end of the season. But there’s no guarantee with loan players that you can get them back or that they’ll be available”, said Gerrard, as quoted by the Record.
“The price tag for Lassana could be prohibitive. It’s a big consideration.”
“We like the player but there’s a lot of things involved. Price, salary, his contract at Angers and whether there will be interest from other clubs. It’s a complicated one but we do like him.”
The manager was clearly keen to get across that Coulibaly is rated at Ibrox.
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However, he would hardly say anything to the contrary. The midfielder will be at Rangers until the end of the season come what may, so its important he has a reason to stay motivated.
Of more note, are the considerable number of stumbling blocks he lists.
Transfer fees, wages, contract buy outs, availability – you name it.
Work to be done for Coulibaly
If this were Ryan Kent, I suspect the manager wouldn’t be so quick to point out the issues surrounding a permanent deal.
The fact is, Gerrard can talk about how good competition in midfield is, but when Rossiter and Docherty come back in the summer, Rangers’s resources in that area will be full to bursting.
Coulibaly did well at the start of the season. Yet, since then,
he hasn’t put in the kind of displays that demand the Gers pull out all the stops to keep him.
It now over yet, and he has a while longer to do just that.
For now, though, it’s astute from Gerrard to play down a permanent deal.
