Jason Jones

Fri 5 June 2020 20:00, UK

Rangers are understood to be keen on Troyes defender Boubakar Kouyate, but could face a battle for the player with bitter rivals Celtic. 

According to France Football, the Gers are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old Mali international, who is generally known by the nickname “Kiki”.

The continental outlet suggest that Ligue 1 side Lens are also keen on the centre-back, as are German clubs Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt.

But the Old Firm are also being touted as potential destinations for the player, who scored five goals in 18 games from the heart of defence this term – although Celtic are said to be pushing harder for his signature than we are.

So, should we consider stepping up our interest in the player to match the Hoops though?

The stats would suggest we should.

According to Wyscout, the player has averaged a defensive duel win rate that is 2.8% higher than Connor Goldson’s this season, while his clearance tally is better by 0.14 per game, and his interceptions tally is 1.01 higher per game.

And in a match situation, he looks very solid.

The image above was taken during a match at the end of January, one of Kouyate’s last outings before the French football season was curtailed early.

The 23-year-old is the player in white nearest the edge of the box.

As soon as Le Havre take their free-kick he is on the move, reading the game and anticipating the flight of the ball brilliantly.

Notice in particular how he doesn’t get sucked in towards his man, but rather drops off a couple of yards to give himself the best possible opportunity to win the aerial challenge.

And it’s effective too.

At the point of contact, he is not only well above his man, but has also shown the raw physicality and defensive intelligence needed to muscle him off the ball entirely.

In truth, it’s barely even a challenge for Kouyate.

A closer look at Kouyate’s aerial duel map in that game shows that he lost just two headers in his own half over the course of the 90 minutes.

Kouyate also had a sliding tackles success rate of 100% in that match.

In the image above, as the ball breaks to the attacker, he is in a tricky position.

A slower player would be in danger of getting outran, and as the last man, he cannot afford to put a foot wrong.

And full credit to the defender, he gets his tackle spot on.

Covering the ground superbly, he manages to stretch out a left boot a get a toe to the ball just in the nick of time.

It’s a fantastic piece of defending, and in some respects, might even have been as important as a goal.

At just 23, you would assume that Kouyate still has some growing to do, but even now he looks to be a player who could be a real asset for the Gers.

The interest appears to be casual at the moment, but we would like to see it made into something more concrete.

In other Rangers news, Andy Halliday hails Rangers ace Morelos for ‘remarkable’ goalscoring talent.