Reported Rangers target Petar Ratkov will be following in the footsteps of Erling Haaland as Red Bull Salzburg have a £4.2 million bid accepted by Serbian outfit TSC Backa Topola.
When it comes to developing budding, baby-faced forwards, Salzburg are proof of the concept that Red Bull really does give you wings.
In addition to Erling Haaland – Manchester City’s 52-goal treble-winning Terminator – Patson Daka, Karim Adeyemi, Munas Dabbur and co all moved onto bigger, if not necessarily better, things after scoring goals for fun in Austria.
Benjamin Sesko is also joining sister club RB Leipzig for next term.
The Rangers-linked Petar Ratkov, meanwhile, will now hope to become the latest in a steady stream of centre-forwards who passed through the Salzburg finishing school.
Petar Ratkov following in Erling Haaland’s footsteps
Serbian publication SportKlub report that both Ratkov and TSC Backa Topola have accepted Salzburg’s £4.2 million offer. The perennial Austrian champions will fight off competition from not only Rangers but also Red Star Belgrade, Zenit St Petersburg, Brentford, Anderlecht and even AC Milan.
19-year-old Ratkov, who represents Serbia at U21 level, scored 14 times last season. TSC president Janos Zemberi has never attempted to hide the fact that Ratkov would likely depart if the right offer was to arrive.
“Ratkov is playing well,” Zemberi said a month or so ago. “We are waiting for the summer transfer window because we believe that his price will increase further. Again, I come back to patience. You have to wait.
“Another player should be signed in his place. We must have projects like Petar. If you’re only chasing results, then young players won’t have the patience. And we wouldn’t be able to make money either.”
Any disappointment Rangers feel over missing out on Ratkov, however, should be offset by the impending arrivals of Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers from Atalanta and Cremonese respectively.
“What you get from (Lammers) as a player is first and foremost a superb work ethic. He’s a left footed striker and is good technically,” Kees Van Wonderen, the former Netherlands assistant, tells the Daily Record.
“He’s a player who has an eye on the tactical aspects of the game. He knows how to play an opponent and is a very clever guy. What Rangers are getting is a player who works so hard and brings with him a decent technique.
“I can see him being a big success in Scotland. Rangers have signed a quality player who can make a big impact.”
