Rangers approach Erik Botheim representatives to seal new striker signing – BBC Scotland journalist
Rangers have made an approach to sign Norwegian striker Erik Botheim after he terminated his contract at Krasnodar, according to BBC Scotland journalist Fraser Fletcher.
Writing via his personal Twitter account on Thursday (16 June), Fletcher reported that the Gers have contacted the 22-year-old striker’s agents in a bid to try and bring him to Ibrox.
It is understood that the free agent, who left Bodo/Glimt for Russian club Krasnodar in January, is wanted by numerous clubs but Rangers are “very keen” on a deal for the Oslo-born goal machine.
Fletcher adds that Botheim will soon make an announcement about his future amid the increased interest in his signature.
Get it done
Wow. Now this is a deal we’d be over the moon with.
Botheim joined Krasnodar in January from Bodo/Glimt for £6.75million but he’s already left them by terminating his contract due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Fletcher shared what Botheim’s agent said about the situation with the striker quitting Krasnodar without even playing a single game for them.
Rangers now have the chance to capitalise on this by signing Botheim for free.
Before joining Krasnodar, Botheim scored seven goals in 14 European matches.
One came in a Champions League qualifying defeat to Legia Warsaw while the rest came in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Botheim’s best performance was easily against Roma in the group stages of the new UEFA competition when the Norway Under-21s captain scored twice and supplied three assists in an incredible 6-1 win against the eventual winners of the competition.
Bodo/Glimt knocked Celtic out of the competition in the next round but by that point, Botheim had already left for Krasnodar.
In Norway, Botheim scored 22 goals in 46 appearances for Bodo/Glimt and scored nine times in 34 outings at his former club Rosenborg.
We’re sure that he’ll be a superb addition at Ibrox but we see that a deal won’t be easy due to the understandably high interest in the free agent.
In other Rangers news, a Champions League club is closing in on a deal for this Ibrox star.