Chelsea and Arsenal interested in Rangers’ Emmanuel Fernandez – here’s why
Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal are reportedly keen on Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez.
According to a report from All Nigeria Soccer, both Chelsea and Arsenal are monitoring Fernandez‘s situation at Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window.
It’s stated that whilst any kind of deal isn’t close to being struck, both of those sides are tracking his progress with great interest, with transfer decisions set to be made on whether to launch a bid for him at the end of the season.
The report also claims that other Premier League sides are also keeping tabs on Fernandez, in what looks set to be a challenging summer for Rangers when it comes to trying to retain his services.
- Read more: Emmanuel Fernandez to make millions for Peterborough United as new Rangers clause revealed
Emmanuel Fernandez has been a Rangers revelation
Moving to Ibrox in this season’s summer window in a reported £3.5million deal with Peterborough United, Fernandez looked like a project signing for Rangers.
After all, the highest level of football he’d played at prior to his Glasgow switch was the EFL Championship, English football’s second tier, but he did only make one appearance at that level for Peterborough.
Aside from that, he’d only ever turned out in League One for Posh (third tier) and National League (highest tier of non-league football in England) for Barnet respectively, showcasing how big a jump it was for him when joining Gers.
However, fast-forward to mid-February, and the 24-year-old centre-back has already established himself as one of the best in his position in Scottish football, with only injury keeping him out of Danny Rohl‘s starting XI.
As per Sofascore, Fernandez has registered a passing accuracy of 88 per cent in the Scottish Premiership this season, whilst also winning 75 per cent of his aerial duels and not making a single error that’s led to a shot.
Those are some outstanding numbers for still such a youthful defender who is taking his first steps into Scottish football, at a club with the pressure and expectation that playing for Rangers brings too.
Fernandez situation is a win-win for Rangers
For Rangers fans, seeing this level of interest arrive for their star defender so soon after he made the move to Glasgow will be worrying.
However, if Fernandez really is a top-class defender in waiting, then his Ibrox stay was never going to be a long-term one anyway in many respects.
And, with the profile of clubs seemingly sniffing around his signature, Rangers can expect to turn huge profits on him in a very short space of time, which could set them up financially for years to come.
Therefore, interest in Fernandez should be welcomed; it’s a testament to the recruitment team, Rohl and his coaching staff, and the player himself.
For even more Rangers news and opinions, head over to Football Insider.