Who is Karl Hein? Rangers enter race for Arsenal goalkeeper
Karl Hein could well end up being the latest signing by Rangers so far this summer.
Russell Martin has brought in 10 new players into Ibrox as he looks to close the gap on Celtic.
So far, this has paid off, with many of the new stars having outstanding starts to their Gers career.
However, the one position Martin hasn’t reinforced yet is in goal.
Now, the Scotsman looks to change this, with Hein linked with a move to Rangers going into the final weeks of the transfer window.
Hein struggled in Spain with Real Valladolid
Hein has been at Arsenal since 2018 but has struggled for game time at the Gunners.
To date, the keeper has only made one competitive appearance for the London club despite Mikel Arteta heavily praising Hein in 2024.
Instead, much of the 23-year-old’s first-team experience comes from loan moves or his international career.
To date, the goalkeeper has won 39 caps for Estonia and was named their Young Footballer of the Year on two separate occasions.
Last season Hein was sent on loan to Real Valladolid, but he did not impress.
| Karl Hein stats at Real Valladolid in La Liga | |
| Appearances | 31 |
| Clean sheets | 5 |
| Goal conceded | 68 |
| Save percentage | 58.5% |
| Penalty save percentage | 0% |
| Errors led to goals | 1 |
| Goals prevented | -8.2 |
The goalkeeper played regularly in a side that finished bottom of La Liga with just 14 points.
The Spanish side conceded 90 goals in the division, with Hein playing in 31 of these matches.
Read more: Butland will be furious over Hein links
Hein will surely not replace Butland
While much has been said about Jack Butland’s performances in the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign, the goalkeeper has been sensational under Martin.
Without Butland, Rangers may not have beaten Panathinaikos in the Champions League.
Due to this, if Hein is signed by the Gers, the Estonian international will surely be the Englishman’s understudy.
If not, it will be extremely harsh by Martin, as Butland has arguably been Rangers’ best player so far this season.
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