‘Fantastic shape’ – Steven Gerrard delighted with start of new Rangers signing Balogun
Steven Gerrard has been delighted by the impact made by Rangers’ new signing Leon Balogun since his arrival.
The Gers boss admitted that the Nigerian has arrived at Ibrox in fantastic shape after recently finishing the Championship campaign with Wigan.
Balogun arrived from Brighton on a one-year-deal which also includes the option for a further year at Ibrox should he impress.
Gerrard admitted that the next week is vital for the 32-year-old, but was delighted with his initial impact on the squad.
“He was very comfortable in today’s session,” he told Rangers TV, as relayed by the Daily Record.
“It will take a few days for him to settle in and get used to the players. We also want to use this time, even away from the training ground, to show him what we do tactically, in and out of possession.
“His profile suits how we want to play, because he’s quick, tall, lean – he’s in fantastic shape. And, from a technical point of view, we know he’s played at a level.
“We’ve seen him at a level and judged him at that level. It gives us confidence he’s going to be a real good signing for us.”
How much of an impact will Balogun make?
With Nikola Katic out for a period of time with ligament damage, this appears to be a smart piece of business from the Light Blues.
Balogun made 11 appearances during his loan spell at Wigan and averaged more interceptions than Conor Goldson per 90 minutes according to WyScout.
On top of that, the Nigerian also completed more accurate long passes than his fellow ex-Brighton enforcer – numbers that prove he could have a similar effect on the Gers.
It is unlikely that Balogun will feature against Aberdeen this weekend, but he will offer great depth for the Gers past that clash.
In other Rangers news, Alfredo Morelos has commented on reports claiming he has agreement with Lille