Josip Brekalo is the latest name being linked with a move to Rangers this summer.
The Croatian international, 26, is a left-winger who has found chances at a premium since moving to Fiorentina in January 2023.
Something of a journeyman ever since leaving Dinamo Zagreb for VfL Wolfsburg in a €10m (£8.5m) deal as a teenager, Josip Brekalo is yet to truly find a home outside of Croatia.
Brekalo’s six years at Wolfsburg was broken up with loan stints at VfB Stuttgart and FC Torino, whilst the attacker spent the latter half of last season on loan back home at Hadjuk Split.
Now, Rangers have reportedly enquired about the winger’s services, but could a current member of the Ibrox squad be used as a makeweight in any deal?
Rangers ‘ask’ about Josip Brekalo
The left-wing area is an area of Philippe Clement’s squad that the Belgian manager is looking to address.
Rangers have just seen interest in Abdallah Sima collapse this summer, the former Brighton loanee instead closing in on a move to Brest in France.
Colombian winger Oscar Cortes – signed on a more permanent loan-to-buy from RC Lens this summer – was also injured (again) on the first day of the season.
Josip Brekalo has solid pedigree and it’s certainly a link which will turn heads at Rangers.
According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Rangers have ‘asked for info’ on Brekalo with the attacker potentially set to leave Fiorentina this summer.
Whilst the 35-times capped Croatia international started his career as a left-winger, Brekalo has also occupied the ‘number 10’ berth in his career.
This is known to be another area of concern at Ibrox.
Fiorentina linked to Ianis Hagi
Given Josip Brekalo currently plays for Fiorentina in Italy, Rangers may well consider striking something of a swap deal.
That’s because Fiorentina have been routinely linked with Ianis Hagi throughout the summer.
The Romanian playmaker turned out for the Serie A club as a teenager with reports initially suggesting the Viola could pay £2.5m to bring Hagi back to Florence.
But as the summer has progressed, there has been a suggestion Rangers could let the unwanted Hagi leave for nothing to free up part of the wage bill.
Philippe Clement even backed up that claim by suggesting that Rangers could let a high-earner walk for nothing.
That’s not a suggestion which has gone down well with Rangers fans.
Should Rangers be in anyway serious about signing Josip Brekalo, then the links between Fiorentina and Ianis Hagi are clearly of interest to all parties.
With Brekalo out of the picture in Italy, and Hagi likewise in Scotland, perhaps a creative deal can be struck that works for everyone.
Rangers have a proud history of signing Croatian players over the years, with Dado Prso, Nikica Jelavic, Niko Kranjcar, Borna Barisic, Nikola Katic and Antonio Colak all leaving a positive impression on the club.
