The Rabbi Matondo saga has been full of twists, turns and uncertainty, so of course his eventual departure from Rangers is shrouded in confusion.
After Matondo’s purported move to Coventry City broke down, after the likes of Nantes, Torino, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday showed an interest without putting their foot on the accelerator, the winger finally secured his departure from Ibrox this week.
Former Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo returns to Germany with Hannover. The club sitting fifth in the Bundesliga.2 table, but only five points off leaders Hamburg.
Now, the deal is technically a loan. At least, initially. Though Hannover may have the chance to bring Matondo’s Rangers career to a permanent end, providing things go well for the Saxony outfit on the pitch between now and the end of May.
Rabbi Matondo’s Rangers future will be decided at Hannover
According to BILD, Hannover do have a purchase clause in Matondo’s contract. He could set the club back around £1 million, meaning Rangers will have to take a £2 million loss on a player they brought to Glasgow after an impressive spell at Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge in 2022.
BILD add, however, that Hannover will only be able to trigger this clause if they secure promotion back to the Bundesliga. While the fee may be a rather minimal one, the report explains that Hannover would struggle to finance the entire package – wages included, for instance – while still a second-tier outfit.
The task, then, is pretty clear.
If Matondo wants to make himself a permanent member of the Hannover squad, if he wants to avoid a rather awkward return to Rangers, then his best bet is to let his football do the talking at the Niedersachsen Stadion.
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“We first have to see how he handles the first training session and then the final training session,” coach Andre Breitenreiter said during his pre-match press conference, discussing whether Matondo could make his Hannover debut away to title rivals Hamburg on Sunday.
“We don’t really have a profile like that in our squad. He’s a fast dribbler down the wing, he can be used on both wide positions with great dynamism, and he’s also someone who moves inside and finishes.”
“Rabbi has received an excellent football education, took his first steps in professional football at a very young age and has steadily developed himself and his game over the course of his career,” adds sporting director Marcus Mann.
”He brings skills that will give our squad more variability and depth. His speed and acceleration are certainly exceptional.
“He also stands out for his dribbling, he has a good drive towards goal and can also be dangerous from a distance. He is a totally positive guy who will also fit in well and quickly on a personal level.
“In our discussions together, he was very interested and open to our club, our goals and our idea of playing football.
“We are happy that he has chosen 96 and are convinced that he can give our offensive game additional impetus.”
