Rangers told Sasa Zdjelar there for taking as manager speaks out
Rangers have received a timely boost in the race to sign Sasa Zdjelar as CSKA Moscow have been urged to sell this month by the club’s former manager Aleksandr Tarkhanov.
The Gers are expressing serious interest in the Serbian midfielder as Philippe Clement aims to bolster his midfield options [Daily Mail], with work already underway to offload several unwanted squad members at Ibrox.
Zdjelar could be available on a free transfer after FIFA gave foreign players the right to terminate their contracts due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, but former CSKA Moscow boss Aleksandr Tarkhanov told his former employers to sell up in January.
“CSKA should probably sell Zdjelar to Rangers,” Tarkhanov told Championat, as translated by Rangers News (12 January).
“We need to think about whether he will help the team and whether it is worth extending his contract. This will be determined by the management of CSKA.
“But, for now, the ‘Army Men’ have the opportunity to make money on Zdjelar. And, if he does not want to extend the contract, Sasa should be sold to the Rangers.
“Zdjelar is not such a star that we should worry about his departure. There are many footballers of this level.”
Rangers given green light to sign Sasa Zdjelar
Clement is back to square one at Rangers, with the 3-0 win over Celtic at the turn of the year effectively counting for nothing.
The Belgian faces another nervous period in Glasgow as each result will undoubtedly be under the microscope.
While it is telling that the Light Blues will be active in the transfer market once again rather than working on improving the current crop at Ibrox, new recruits will be sought this month.
Rangers supporters are demanding, but even the most optimistic of the lot must admit that every result in the Scottish Premiership from now until May is purely damage limitation.
However, bolstering the squad in January must be tried with caution – the summer exploits have arguably weakened the team this year, and only the cream of the crop (available within the budget) should be on the agenda.
Zdjelar would fall into this criteria: the 29-year-old can operate in the midfield pivot and the backline, and his versatility would be a welcome boost for the Gers, currently plagued with an ongoing injury crisis.
The Serbian international is attracting interest across Europe with German sides also monitoring the situation in Moscow – Nils Koppen can waste no time bringing Zdjelar to Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, the Gers are now in talks to sign Hjalmar Ekdal.
For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.