It was one big reunion at Rangers this week.
After reuniting Vaclav Cerny with Danilo – the former FC Twente team-mates looking to emulate their ‘sensational’ partnership at Ibrox – in came another player who arrived in Glasgow to be greeted by a host of familiar faces.
Robin Propper becomes the ninth signing at Rangers this summer. The experienced centre-half joins in a deal rumoured to be in the region of £2.5 million, per the Daily Record.
And Propper, like the aforementioned Cerny, finds himself reunited with a couple of players he knows well. The former Heracles defender was a team-mate of Cyriel Dessers’ when the Belgian-born Nigerian won the Eredivisie’s Golden Boot at Heracles during the 2019/20 season.
And, while Propper’s arrival at FC Twente came a few months after Danilo’s loan spell in Enschede came to an end, the former skipper knows fellow Rangers newbie Cerny very well too.
So, when Philippe Clement’s side made their interest known, Propper was quick to consult both Dessers and Cerny before putting pen to paper with the Premiership runners-up.
Robin Propper swaps FC Twente for Rangers
“Rangers is a big club and it feels really good to be here,” Propper tells the official Rangers website.
“I was glad to hear about the club wanting to sign me. I always said I wanted to have a new adventure in another country and when a club like Rangers comes in for you it feels surreal. This club breathes football and you want to play your football here.
“I spoke to Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny and they only had nice things to say about the club. It’s nice to see some familiar faces.
“You hear about the Rangers fans and how it is here and I am really happy to be here.”
Propper will wear the number four shirt vacated by John Lundstram.
Clement admitted a few days ago that he was hoping to add more experience to the Gers’ ranks. And Propper – 30 years of age and having played in each of the last nine Eredivisie seasons – certainly fits the bill.
Propper will step in following the sale of Connor Goldson to Aris Limassol, with his passing range and physicality drawing comparisons with fellow Dutchmen Virgil van Dijk and Stefan de Vrij.
Philippe Clement explains Propper arrival
“We are thrilled to welcome Robin to Rangers,” Clement smiles. “And he will be an excellent addition to our squad.
“As a defender, he is powerful and has great attributes, which include the experience he has gained from his years playing in the Netherlands and the leadership qualities he has shown from being the captain of FC Twente.
“He is excited to start the next chapter of his career in Scotland and we are excited to have him on board as we get ready for the new season. We are thrilled Robin has decided to become a Rangers player.”
Recruitment chief Nils Koppen has presided over the arrival of numerous former Eredivisie stars this summer.
Propper, he says, was a player he knew well from Koppen’s time as a scout at PSV Eindhoven.
