Rangers left-back pair Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz have found it difficult to avoid criticism this season.
Jefte might’ve spoken positively about a first season at Rangers, where the defender had to play much more than initially expected.
But the 21-year-old Brazilian finds himself in the spotlight alongside inconsistent Turkish full-back Ridvan Yilmaz, with Rangers expected to strengthen the berth this summer.
Kris Boyd might’ve tipped Rangers to consider Greg Taylor but the latest reports suggest the Ibrox club are casting their net further afield.
Rangers linked to US international George Bello
Rangers are reportedly monitoring the situation with US left-back George Bello, who is currently plying his trade with Austrian Bundesliga outfit LASK.
That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who also believes that English Championship side West Brom have one eye on the £1m-rated defender.
Whilst George Bello was born in Nigeria, the defender’s family moved to the US where he eventually broke through at Atlanta United.
Eventually moving to Arminia Bielefeld, the 23-year-old has been in Austria with LASK since 2023 and has earned seven caps with the US national team.
In a productive season for LASK, Bello made 43 appearances for the club last season, netting two goals and laying on three assists.
Rangers look to defensive reinforcements
The Gers backline leaked two or more goals for a staggering eight domestic games in a row between Philippe Clement’s final match v St Mirren (22/02) and facing the Buddies again in late April (26th).
Not only was this a club record at Ibrox, but the disastrous defensive run pretty much guaranteed a flailing Barry Ferguson was unlikely to get the job full-time.
With Leon Balogun now leaving Rangers and Robin Propper likely to quit Ibrox, there is plenty of attention on who will come in to bolster the Rangers backline.
This will have to be one of the key focuses of the club’s new American ownership, as Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises close in on a deal for Rangers.
Rangers have already been linked with a number of deals this summer, with Leicester City’s Cameron Burgess at the top of the list.
Estoril defender Kevin Boma has also been linked to Rangers, as the club looks to improve a defence which almost completely collapsed under Barry Ferguson.
