BREAKING NEWS: Rangers’ hopes of signing free-agent scuppered as Zenit St Petersburg near £1.3m deal

Rangers’ hopes of signing free-agent scuppered as Zenit St Petersburg near £1.3m deal

The 2024/25 season may be a bit of a write-off for Rangers, but no one could accuse the Glasgow giants of failing to get their ducks in order for the next campaign.

Nils Koppen describes the signing of Lyall Cameron as ‘hugely important’ for a number of reasons.

Firstly, because it represents Rangers snapping up one of the most exciting homegrown talents in the league from under the noses of rivals Aberdeen. And, secondly, because it adds another improving, ambitious youngster to a squad already containing Hamza Igamane, Jefte, Connor Barron and more.

 

Manager Philippe Clement highlights the goals Cameron should add to Rangers’ engine room, meanwhile. With eight so far this term for Dundee, the Scotland Under-21 international has more than Mohamed Diomande, Nico Raskin and Barron combined.

 

Rangers also allowed the likes of Kieran Dowell and Rabbi Matondo to go with an eye on giving the likes of Bailey Rice, Findlay Curtis and Paul Nsio a bigger role in the coming months. An audition, if you like, for a first-team role in 2025/26.

 

But the problem with putting off any further business until the off-season, as Rangers may be about to find out, is that it gives other clubs far away from Glasgow the chance to snatch potential summer targets from under that Ibrox nose.

 

Photo by Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images

 

Photo by Mike Kireev/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Rangers to miss out on Sasa Zdjelar as Zenit St Petersburg close in

According to reports, Rangers are eyeing up CSKA Moscow enforcer Sasa Zdjelar.

 

Out of contract in July, the experienced Serbia international may have been someone ring-fenced as a bargain, free-agent addition for the summer window.

 

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But while the winter window in Scotland closed on February 3rd, clubs in Russia have until the close of play on Thursday February 20th to get deals done.

 

And with Zenit St Petersburg reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Zdjelar from their league rivals from the capital to the tune of just £1.3 million before tonight’s deadline, Rangers are powerless to prevent a man who could have brought vital experience and aggression to Clement’s midfield putting pen to paper elsewhere.

 

Champions of Russia for the last six seasons, Zenit’s dominance is under threat this term. Krasnodar – inspired by the previously Rangers-linked Edouard Spertsyan – are currently top of the table.

 

As former Russia international Alexei Igonin explains, Zdjelar’s likely arrival at the Gazprom Arena will spark a rebuild of Zenit’s spine. He is expected to replace Wendel, the long-serving Brazilian battleaxe due to depart in the near future.

Zdjelar leaves CSKA Moscow to boost Zenit title hopes

“Zenit is constantly undergoing a process of team renewal,” Igonin tells Championat. “The team has losses in the centre of the field. So a reinforcement in the form of Zdelar should more or less immediately join the team, because the player is of a high level.

“Sasa will increase competition, which is always beneficial.”

“Perhaps this transfer is being made with some purpose, given that Wendel will leave in the summer,” adds Alexander Gorshkov, the ex-Zenit player speaking to Sovetsky Sport. “Or they want to strengthen the defensive midfielder position.

“I would say that [signing] Sasa Zdelar would definitely not be a problem in strengthening the midfield.”

As for Rangers, Philippe Clement has spoken openly about his desire to add experience to a largely youthful roster. While Robin Propper, Vaclav Cerny and Liam Kelly did arrive last summer, the majority of Koppen’s other signings sit on the other end of the scale.

 

Rangers also currently have only three senior midfielders to play in the deeper roles, although the ever-growing Rice should make it a fourth.

 

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