One of the more baffling aspects of the Mick Beale era at Rangers was a rather bizarre approach to recruitment, the Scottish Premiership giants ending last summer with a surplus of number tens but a dearth of number sixes, and a handful of left-wingers but a shortage on the right.
Those January moves from Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen went some way to solving one of those problems – Mohamed Diomande has arguably been Rangers‘ best midfielder since the winter – but the summer could see an overhaul of the playing staff with so many players out of contract either this year or the next one.
Raphael Borges Rodrigues, one of the brightest talents in Australian football, is reportedly an option to add quality and depth in the wide areas, with Fabio Silva, Abdallah Sima, Oscar Cortes and Scott Wright all facing uncertain futures.
Rangers linked with Australian starlet
Rodrigues, who can play on the right and the left and possesses a respectable goals return at the age of just 20, plies his trade down under with Macarthur FC in the A-League.
The Dutch-born Australia Under 23 international, Peter O’Rourke reports, is also a target for a Coventry City outfit who’s recent recruitment record makes some pretty impressive reading. Gustavo Hamer, Milan van Ewijk and Viktor Gyokeres – now a 40-goal a season striker at Sporting Lisbon – were all snapped up by the Sky Blues.
Rangers, however, may have the added advantage of being able to offer Champions League football or, at the worst, Europa League football.
Rodrigues, who would follow in the footsteps of Craig Moore and Tony Vidmar should he end up in Glasgow, has just over one year left on his contract with Macarthur likely to consider a sale this summer for fear of losing him on a free in the next one.
“I think (Raphael) has been great for us this season,” Macarthur coach Mile Sterjovski said after Rodrigues slammed in a stunning volley to beat Brisbane a few months ago. “He’s got the confidence to do those kind of things.
“He’s a player that’s got a very bright future. I’m very pleased for him (and) the way he took his goal.”
An Abdallah Sima replacement at Ibrox?
Rodrigues, a right footer who likes to cut in from the left, could potentially arrive to take the place of Sima with uncertainty surrounding the future of the Brighton loanee. Rangers boss Philippe Clement has made no secret of his desire to keep the speedy Senegal star, while Sima himself is keen on a long-term stay in Scotland.
Much will depend, however, on how much Brighton demand for a player who has not made a first-team appearance for Roberto de Zerbi’s side since his £7 million move from Slavia Prague.
“This (Rangers) was the perfect team for me, you know, as a young player to get games and experience. Team-mates really help, (there are) some experienced players. So I’m really happy to be here,” Sima said recently, broadcast on Rangers’ official YouTube channel.
“I didn’t expect it, to have a season like this, to be honest. But I’m a winner and I want to win everything here. That’s why I joined the club. So I hope to give everything for this club and for the fans, because they deserve that.”
