In an exclusive interview to Football Insider, ex defender Alan Hutton has touted Rangers to make a move for Leeds United man Barry Douglas in the summer, if their current left-back – Borna Barisic, decides to leave. The former Aston Villa man refused to rule out the possibility of such a move happening and went on to say that whether Barisic stays or leaves could have an important part to play in their decision. The former Premier League ace then went on to praise Douglas for his footballing talents and general quality.
While the fact that Rangers could replace Borna Barisic with Barry Douglas could come as good news, it would be in their best interest to get the Croatian to stay on on top of acquiring the Leeds man. Speaking on the matter, Hutton said, “Yeah, possibly. I think you have to look at the Barisic situation. I think that would be a key factor if he was to stay or leave but look, I think Barry Douglas is an excellent player. He went abroad, did really well, came back to Wolves and I thought he was arguably their best player. It shocked a lot of people when he was moved upon promotion. Possibly a move to Rangers, with him saying he supports them, could be a good opportunity for him to get back on track, back playing.”
How Has Barry Douglas’ Career Progressed So Far?
Leeds United defender Barry Douglas initially made a name for himself in Scotland during his days with the likes of Queen’s Park and Dundee, before he was eventually shipped out to Polish side Lech Poznan on a free transfer back in 2013. After two fairly successful spells in Poland and then Turkey, the full-back made his return to the British Isles when he was signed on by Wolves in their promotion campaign to the Premier League.
Despite putting up some excellent displays for Wolves that season, the full-back was unexpectedly shipped out to Leeds United at the end of the campaign. Douglas’ first year at Elland Road was far from terrible, as he picked up a total of 26 appearances along the way. This time around though, with Marcelo Bielsa seemingly preferring to play Ezgjan Alioski at left-back, his time in the team has depleted drastically. The defender played just 11 times in the Championship all season, with seven of those appearances coming off the bench in late stages.
What Qualities Would Barry Douglas Add To This Rangers Side?
The 30-year-old has been around the European footballing scene for a while now, having travelled to a couple of new countries over the course of his career as well. Experience and sheer footballing know-how is undoubtedly one of the Scot’s most significant assets – a quality that Rangers could do with a lot more of. For all the quality that the Gers team possesses, it’s worth realising that their squad isn’t filled with experience. Gerrard only has five players in the entire team who are over the age of 30, and while that’s usually a good thing, experience can be a crucial factor in tight competitions such as the Premiership.
Capable of playing at left-back or in left-midfield if required, Douglas would also offer Gerrard an added bit of versatility, while the gaffer will also be well aware of the defender’s general attributes. Strong off the ball and a good crosser from wide on it, Douglas could fit in quite well with the ideology at the Ibrox. Add in the fact that Barisic remains Gerrard’s only natural left-back option at this time, and this transfer starts to make more and more sense from a Gers perspective.
Rangers Could Replace Borna Barisic With Barry Douglas: Should Gerrard Make This Happen?
Barisic’s massive contributions at left-back have been no surprise this season, but his possible departure has the potential to leave a gaping hole in the Rangers back-line. Although the likes of Jon Flanagan and Andrew Halliday have been used in that position in the past, it would never be as effective as playing a natural left-back there. Barry Douglas, at least for the time being, would tick all of the Gers’ boxes, meaning that it’s a signing Gerrard needs to prioritise in the summer window.
