Slask Warsaw are confident that Matuesz Zukowski will ‘unleash his full potential’ at his new club after the defender finally sealed a permanent departure from Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.
After playing only one competitive game in 18 months at Rangers, the oft-forgotten, £400,000 signing from Legia Gdansk is unlikely to be missed all that keenly at Ibrox.
Matuesz Zukowski spent the whole of last season on loan at Lech Poznan in his native Poland after all. And it hardly come as a surprise that Poznan opted against triggering the option-to-buy clause in his contract, Zukowski playing more games for the reserve than he did for the Lech first-team.
Confirmation of his move to Slask Warsaw on Wednesday, then, will hopefully bring an end to a difficult year-and-a-half for the Poland U21 international.
Mateusz Zukowski officially leaves Rangers
“We are pleased that we managed to sign a young Polish player who has experience in such a big club as Glasgow Rangers,” David Balda, Slask’s new sporting director, tells the club’s official website.
“We know that Mateusz is a versatile player. (He) can play on the wing, and on the side of defence, giving quality on both sides of the pitch.
“He is hungry for the game, ambitious, knows the coach – (Jacek) Magiera – well. And we believe that he will unleash his full potential in Slask.”
Whether Balda’s confidence is justified, only time will tell.
The young right-back was never likely to challenge the talismanic James Tavernier for a place in Rangers’ starting XI any time soon; the arrival of Dujon Sterling from Chelsea threatening to push him even further down Mick Beale’s pecking order.
“I played a large part of my career in attack, so I like and I can play offensively,” Zukowski adds. “I’m glad that I will have the opportunity to work with Jacek Magiera. He is a coach I know well from the (Polish U20) national team.
“I want to play as much as possible.”
Zukowski becomes the latest player to leave Ibrox this summer.
Ryan Kent has already joined Fenerbahce, while Filip Helander could return to Malmo. There is also interest from Russia for Alfredo Morelos.
