Agent shares big update on Rangers player yet to feature this season
Nikola Katic’s agent has confirmed the defender “will be ready” to play for Rangers by the time January comes around.
The 24-year-old has not featured for the Light Blues this season due to him suffering a ruptured ACL in pre-season training in July.
Rangers’ defensive record would suggest they have not missed Katic while he has been sidelined with Steven Gerrard’s side conceding just three goals in 14 Scottish Premiership matches this season. One of those was an own goal while the other two came in a 2-2 draw with Hibernian.
Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and Leon Balogun have been fantastic for the Gers but Gerrard’s defensive options should be boosted in the New Year, according to Katic’s agent Ives Cakarun.
“We hope Nikola will be ready for January. It was a big operation, cruciate ligaments and both meniscus,” said Cakarun, as quoted by the Daily Record.
Katic found himself in and out of Rangers’ starting line-up last season but the Croatian centre-back still managed to make 29 appearances in all competitions.
However, Katic was far from a stand-out in the Scottish Premiership with him ranking 11th for his percentage of defensive duels won [74.07%].
Katic has a long way to go before he’s able to start again for Rangers in a big match.
He hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since a one-minute cameo off the bench against Ross County on March 8 so even though he might have recovered from his ACL injury by January, he is unlikely to be anywhere near match fitness.
It might help Katic to get a few games in the reserves side to help get him up to speed but we simply cannot justify Gerrard putting the Croatian above Goldson, Helander or Balogun in his defensive pecking order at the moment.
Katic is more than likely going to replace George Edmundson as the fourth-choice centre-back due to him breaking COVID-19 regulations but that’s all we can see for the 24-year-old for now.
In other Rangers news, new documents show that the Gers have received a seven-figure windfall from fresh investment at Ibrox.