Glasgow Rangers have not signed a first-team member since announcing Andreas Skov-Olsen on the night of their 5-0 win over Annan Athletic.
The Danish forward was the third signing of the January transfer window and was brought out in front of an Ibrox crowd along with Toti Chukwani and Toul Rommens.
Manager Danny Rolle wanted to raid his former club Southampton to bring Cameron Archer to Ibrox on loan until the end of the season, but that deal fell through on deadline day.
Gers had agreed a provisional contract with the former Aston Villa marksman, but Saints backed out of the deal after agreeing to sell Adam Armstrong to Wolves.
Rangers reach full agreement on contract
While Archer’s signing faces obstacles today, it looks like the Scottish Premiership giants are finally set to land the number nine they have been looking for all season.
Glasgow Rangers have reached a complete agreement with Hansa Rostock to sign centre-forward Ryan Naderi, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.
The reporter claims Gers have agreed a deal with the German club that could rise to £5.1 million including add-ons, with the third-tier club having a 20 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal.
Plettenberg added: The transfer is “scheduled to be finalized shortly” and will be the most expensive transfer in the history of Germany’s third division. The German journalist revealed that the 22-year-old number nine has already completed his medical at the Scottish giants and all that remains is for the club to announce his move to Ibrox.
Why Ryan Naderi could be Joe Aribo 2.0
There may be question marks over whether Naderi can make an immediate impact in Glasgow, given the level of football he comes from.
The German striker currently plays in his home country’s third tier with Hansa Rostock and although he has never played at a higher level, supporters should remember that Joe Aribo joined the club from League One side Charlton Athletic.
Aribo, who today signed for Leicester City on loan from Southampton, signed for Rangers in the summer of 2019 after spending three seasons with the Addics in English football’s third tier. He never played at a higher level, but went on to enjoy great success at Ibrox.
The Nigeria international made 149 appearances in all competitions for Rangers, scoring 26 goals and providing 25 assists, before being sold to Southampton for £6m in 2022 after three successful years in Glasgow.
Aribo was an important player for Steven Gerrard and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who joined him directly from the third-tier side, but he proved that quality matters more than a player’s league, winning the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup with Gers and scoring in the Europa League final.
This shows that Naderi should be judged on his individual quality rather than the quality of his league. The recruiting team and Roll have clearly seen enough in this move and considering the fee behind it to suggest he is ready to step up.
In La Liga this season, the tall German center forward has shown plenty of promise with his play as both a scorer and goal creator from his number nine position.
25/26 3. La Liga | Ryan Naderi |
|---|---|
Appearance | 18 |
begins | 14 |
the goal | 8 |
assist | 4 |
Number of successful dribbles per game | 1.4 |
dribbling success rate | 64% |
Statistics by Sofascore | |
As you can see from the table above, Naderi provides a threat as a scorer, creator, and dribbler. This means he can bring players along to create his own shots, rather than relying on others to set him up.
None of Rangers’ current strikers have scored more than four goals or provided more than two assists in the Premiership this season, which goes to show just how dominant Yusef Cermiti and Bojan Miovski have been.
If Naderi can carry over the form he showed in La Liga into the Premiership, the 22-year-old striker could be Role’s best option in the number nine position.
Aribo is a perfect example of how signings from the third tier should not be taken lightly or ignored, and hopefully Naderi will be the next example.
