The transfer window may have closed for Rangers but doors remain ajar ahead of what is likely to be a far busier summer at Ibrox.
Rangers have already secured Lyall Cameron’s signature – the Scotland Under-21 international will officially move to Glasgow when his Dundee contract expires – and have a deal in place to tie Rafael Fernandes down to a permanent deal should they wish to do so.
The president of Fernandes’ parent club, Ligue 1 outfit Lille, confirms Rangers have an option-to-buy clause as part of their agreement with the Portuguese powerhouse.
And while there would be no deadline day deals for the likes of Nicolo Bertola and Aaron Anselmino, to name just two of Rangers’ other alleged targets, these are two players who are likely to remain on the radar until the window opens up again at the end of the campaign.
Anselmino, the £15 million Chelsea youngster, is expected to be made available on loan. Italy Under-21 ace Bertola will be a free-agent, meanwhile, when his Spezia contract runs out.
Ditto Sasa Zdjelar.
Sasa Zdjelar leaves door open for Rangers to sign free-agent
While Lyall Cameron’s arrival may end Rangers’ interest in Marko Soldo – the £2.5 million-rated NK Osijek dynamo shares many of the same attributes in terms of his goalscoring talents and his formidable athleticism – Zdjelar is a different sort of midfielder.
A more defensive-minded operator, the CSKA Moscow enforcer would add an extra sheet of steel to the centre of Philippe Clement’s squad. An experienced back-up, perhaps, for the exceptional but one-of-a-kind Nico Raskin.
Like Cameron and the aforementioned Bertola, Zdjelar is entering the final few months of his current contract. And, in comments that should not pass the Rangers recruitment staff by, the Serbia international confirms that talks over an extension in the VEB Arena are yet to even begin.
“I don’t want to talk about rumours about a possible departure from the club,” a guarded Zdjelar tells the Russian press. “Do I want to stay at CSKA? I have said many times that all these questions should be addressed to the club.
“I have five more months of the contract, let’s see what happens. In football, you never know what awaits you in the future.
“We have not started negotiations with CSKA about extending the contract. Now, my desire is to stay fit.”
Zdjelar’s potential Ibrox switch sparked debate in Russia
CSKA Moscow are sixth in the Russian Premier League table but only seven points adrift of leaders Zenit St Petersburg. Zdjelar, if he is to leave the capital this summer, wants to depart with a winners’ medal around his neck.
“We know that it will be hard to fight for the title. But you always have to believe and play until the end,” the former Partizan Belgrade ace adds. “You never know who will lose.
“Of course, there are chances, they always exist. We will fight. For me to be satisfied with the season, we need to win the Russian Cup and try to win every game.”
Speculation over Zdjelar’s future sparked plenty of debate back in Russia.
While some argued that CSKA needed to retain his signature if they were to seriously challenge Zenit’s throne, others felt that CSKA ‘should probably sell Sasa Zdjelar to Rangers’ and take the sporting hit for financial gain.
A financial gain they can no longer enjoy the benefits of, provided a contract extension is not forthcoming.
