Rangers have all but confirmed the signing of Vanja Dragojevic from FK Partizan for a deal worth £4.7million.
The Light Blues are signing the 20-year-old defensive midfielder for £4.7m, including add-ons, plus a 10 per cent sell-on clause, although the instalment structure is such that they are only paying £2.1m upfront.
Dragojevic arrives as Rangers‘ seventh signing of the summer, with his family friend spoiling the transfer announcement with a social media leak earlier this week.
The departing FK Partizan captain was seen holding up a customised Rangers-themed cake with ‘Vanja 22’ written on it, thus confirming his transfer and his shirt number at Ibrox.
To get the ultimate tactical lowdown on the Gers’ latest acquisition, we spoke exclusively with Milos Simanovic, editor for leading Serbian outlet Sportal, who covers the Serbia national team extensively and has watched Dragojevic’s rapid rise firsthand.
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1. What sort of midfielder is Dragojevic?
Milos Simanovic: “Vanja Dragojevic is a defensive midfielder who covers a lot of ground with his running, which is his greatest asset. He is not particularly creative, but he enters every match ready to ‘die on the pitch’ and give his all, whether it is a derby or a less attractive opponent.“
2. Is he versatile enough to play in other positions?
Milos Simanovic: “He strictly plays as a number six. Eventually, he could play as a number eight.“
3. How did Dragojevic fare during his time at FK Partizan?
Milos Simanovic: “The answer to this question is complex because Partizan have been going through major financial and, consequently, results-based struggles in recent years. It is true that he drew attention to himself as one of the leaders of a wave of young and talented players, and the club got what they wanted from him.“
4. Is €5.5m (£4.7m) a fair price for him? We’ve heard he had a €15m release clause.
Milos Simanovic: “Partizan did set a price tag of €15m for all of its young talents, but that was unrealistic from the start. They wanted to secure themselves to get the best possible price, but realistically, €5.5m is fair for all parties in this story.“
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5. What are the general expectations for Dragojevic in Serbia, especially as a national team player?
Milos Simanovic: “Not too big. He is young, time is on his side, and no one expects him to decide matches. He is, after all, a defensive midfielder, and goals and assists are not demanded of him – which is how things are mostly viewed in Serbia. One could say that is a superficial point of view.“
6. What sort of character is he off the pitch?
Milos Simanovic: “From what I’ve heard, he is a great professional. He is always the first at training and fully focused on his duties.“
7. How did he become the captain of Partizan at such a young age?
Milos Simanovic: “Because he is a big Partizan fan and has felt a sense of belonging to the club since childhood. He wore the armband through almost all youth categories, and as major changes were happening at Partizan.“
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8. Is there anything else Rangers fans should know about him?
Milos Simanovic: “They will get a player to the taste of British football fans: combative, persistent to the end, and with leadership qualities. Also, I would dare to say, football-wise, gritty and aggressive, which you cannot do without if you want to achieve success.“
The editorial verdict
While he will not be dynamic in unlocking low blocks with key passes, Dragojevic provides Derek McInnes with the exact bite, defensive discipline, and leadership needed in a demanding Scottish Premiership environment.
If McInnes wants an enforcer to screen his back four, the 20-year-old Serb fits the brief impeccably.
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