As one French footballing outlet suggests a £16m Premier League midfielder is available for a knockdown price, it’s had Rangers fans out there in the ether wondering if the club should pounce.
Sofiane Boufal is a player well known to Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson after the ex-Southampton man brought the tricky attacking midfielder to St. Mary’s in 2016.
The reported £16m fee was a then club-record outlay but over the last four seasons things haven’t gone to plan for Boufal and the exit door reportedly beckons.
According to Foot Mercato, Moroccan international Boufal will be available for a knockdown £3.5m (€4m) this summer as his contract enters its final year.
Naturally, it had a few wondering if the midfielder is worth a punt for Rangers as Steven Gerrard’s hunt for a midfielder goes on.
https://twitter.com/ChrisMilIington/status/1302598879549042689
https://twitter.com/5G_Rfc/status/1302620623395532801
However, there are a few issues with the suggestion Rangers should move for the obviously talented 26-year-old former Lille star.
Since joining Southampton Boufal has struggled to hold down a starting berth and when he has, he has rarely finished 90 minutes.
In his 70 Premier League appearances for Southampton, Boufal has been subbed on 39 times and subbed off 25, meaning he has only completed six times in three out of the last four Premier League seasons [Transfermarkt].
Having spent last season on loan at Celta Vigo in La Liga, it’s a similar story.
Boufal played in 35 La Liga games but was subbed on 10 times and subbed off 23, meaning he only completed 90 minutes twice.
These aren’t exactly tell-tale signs of that box-to-box all-action midfielder the Ibrox club have reportedly been hunting for.
In short, Boufal is the definition of a luxury player.
On top of that, the player’s scoring and assist records leave a lot to be desired.
Boufal has managed only three goals and four assists in three Premier League seasons, whilst his three goals for Celta Vigo in Spain last season were backed up by no assists.
With the Foot Mercato report also suggesting that Boufal wants a move to France or Spain, it appears a move to Rangers remains unlikely, even if some fans are tempted.
