Once Rangers linked striker Matej Vydra netted for Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday night and he’s a player the club could consider moving for in the summer.
Steven Gerrard was said to be close to clinching a loan deal for Vydra on the final day of the transfer window in January 2020 [Glasgow Times], but the transfer reportedly fell through at the last minute as Burnley were unable to secure a replacement [Herald].
Some Bears were disappointed to miss out on the experienced Czech Republic international but the Gers haven’t suffered as a consequence and are on the verge of winning a first league title in a decade.
There may be some changes made to the squad in the summer, though, with Jermain Defoe set to be out of contract and Alfredo Morelos a candidate to be sold, as the club’s board looks to balance the books.
Should both of those players leave, reinforcements would be necessary.
Prolific KV Oostende striker Fashion Sakala is one name that has been mentioned [Scottish Sun], but a second attempt to lure Vydra to Ibrox is another interesting potential option.
The striker moved to Burnley from Derby County for a reported £11m in 2018 [Daily Mail]. That’s a big transfer fee, but given that he’s now 28, Vydra’s value will have dropped considerably in the three years since then.
What’s more, by the summer, he will only have a year remaining on his contract, making a cut-price deal a realistic possibility.
Vydra might not be as valuable as he once was, but that doesn’t mean he’s past his best.
The Czech has always been a livewire in and around the box as well as a natural finisher and he showed both of those qualities to score in a Premier League fixture against high-flying Leicester City on Wednesday night.
Vydra did superbly to rob a Foxes defender of possession and only needed one touch to set himself before firing an emphatic left-footed finish into the top right corner.
It was just his fourth strike of a season that has been somewhat stop-start due to injury and a lack of regular playing time.
However, he has over 100 senior club goals to his name and there’s every chance he would do well in the Premiership, while the opportunity to play European football may make the prospect of a move to Ibrox particularly attractive.
If Rangers do need attacking reinforcements in the summer, they could do a lot worse than snapping up a player with Vydra’s track record on the cheap.
A Premier League player Rangers were linked with in January may regret not forcing through a transfer to Ibrox after being dealt a blow by his current manager.
