Rangers have successfully concluded a significant £4million agreement to secure the services of German striker Ryan Naderi, bringing forward a planned summer transfer in a strategic move to bolster their attacking options for the crucial title run-in.
Accelerated Transfer for Title Push
The Ibrox club had previously negotiated a deal with Hansa Rostock that would have seen Naderi move to Glasgow in the summer for approximately £3million. However, determined to enhance their offensive capabilities during the decisive phase of the season, Rangers expedited the arrangement with the German third-tier side and increased their financial offer.
The 22-year-old forward arrived at Rangers' training complex late on Monday evening, with the club acting swiftly to finalise the transfer before the 11pm deadline. It is anticipated that Rangers will pay an initial fee of around £4million, which could potentially escalate to over £5million with performance-related add-ons. Notably, Hansa Rostock also secured a 20-per-cent sell-on clause as part of the agreement, making Naderi the most expensive player ever transferred out of Germany's third division.
Manager's Perspective and Squad Changes
Discussing the necessity for attacking reinforcements following Sunday's goalless draw against Hibernian, Rangers manager Danny Rohl remarked: 'In general, I think I have a clear picture in my mind. I saw a group that was growing and growing together. And what I will not do after this draw is to make everything very dark. I think this is also part of this race. It's an exciting one. We are still in the race.'
Naderi's arrival may facilitate the departure of Danilo from Rangers, with the player having spent recent days in the Netherlands and attracting interest from several Eredivisie clubs. Additionally, Rangers confirmed that Joe Rothwell has left the club to join Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee. Rothwell, once a prominent figure at the beginning of the Russell Martin era last summer, was deemed surplus to requirements following Rohl's appointment in October.
January Window Activity and New Signings
Rangers have already invested substantially during the January transfer window, with a combined expenditure of £7million on the acquisitions of Tochi Chukwuani and Tuur Rommens. The club also secured Andreas Skov Olsen on loan from Wolfsburg, incorporating an option to purchase the Danish international winger for £9million in the summer.
Furthermore, Clinton Nsiala has departed the club, joining Belgian side Westerlo on a loan deal until the season's conclusion, which includes an option to buy. Meanwhile, new signing Tochi Chukwuani believes his title-winning experience in Austria can assist Rangers in their pursuit of Premiership glory this season.
Chukwuani's Title-Winning Mentality
The 22-year-old defensive midfielder, who was part of the Sturm Graz squad that clinched the Bundesliga title before joining Rangers last month on an initial three-and-a-half-year contract, stated: 'I think it's always good to have that kind of experience of winning a title. You know what it really takes to win a title and try to bring it also here, in terms of mentality, every day in training and also in games.'
He added: 'I'm still settling in, I'm still trying to build those relationships within the group, trying to find the connection with the players, my team-mates. But I still think I have more to do. It was a performance that we knew still left room for improvement. Our play in the last third wasn't good enough, and we didn't control the game the way we wanted. But if we look at the positive side, we still kept the clean sheet, and we still go on our unbeaten run in the league. So we try to keep our heads up and try to focus on the next game which is around the corner.'
