According to a recent report by Football Insider, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton has tipped Vaclav Hladky to be an excellent addition for Rangers, on the back of confirmation that the goalkeeper has departed St. Mirren, and is currently a free agent. The ex Aston Villa ace went on to suggest that he has been thoroughly impressed by the Czech stopper’s exploits in the Premiership this season and that he would be well-suited to Steven Gerrard’s squad at the Ibrox Stadium next season.
Insisting that Vaclav Hladky would be a good signing for Rangers, Hutton said, “If you look at the lower teams, the keeper is a massive part of what they do and how they get points up on the board. He’s been an unbelievable player for them for the last little while so it doesn’t surprise me Rangers have been sniffing around him. Especially a free agent, it ticks the box if they’re spending a lot of money on Hagi and they can get a player they need for the squad on a free, it’s the ideal situation for them. I think he’d be a great addition to the squad.”
What Is Rangers’ Current Goalkeeping Situation?
The Ibrox club recently announced the official departures of two of their alternate keeper options, with Wes Foderingham and Jak Alnwick now having left the club. This leaves veteran stopper Allan McGregor as the first-choice option, with 23-year-old Alan Firth as the only other realistic shout in the squad.
The latter’s inexperience, and the fact that he’s yet to play a Premiership game, will be running on the back of Gerrard’s mind. Going into the season with just one proper option between the sticks can prove to be a recipe for disaster as well.
With that said though, it must be conceded that Allan McGregor’s exploits on the goal line have been nothing short of sensational over the last two seasons. Having made the switch back to his boyhood club from Hull City in 2018, the Scot has gone on to become one of the most important members of the squad, and despite being 38-years-old now, he hasn’t shown too many signs of slowing down. Adept at making saves on his line, the former Besiktas man has been an excellent signing for Rangers.
What Purpose Would Hladky Serve At The Ibrox?
The Czech youth international shot-stopper has shown himself in an excellent light this season, and it’s not surprising that giants like Rangers have taken notice of his exploits. At 29-years-old, the man who was recently released by St. Mirren still has a large chunk of his career ahead of him, and a switch to Rangers would make sense given the situation they find themselves in. The former Breclav goalkeeper played in 30 Premiership fixtures this season, and conceded just 41 goals, while also keeping a commendable ten cleansheets along the way.
Vaclav Hladky Would Be A Good Signing For Rangers: Gerrard Must Get It Done
With Allan McGregor’s long and illustrious career now gradually drawing to a close, one of Gerrard’s main worries will have to be finding his eventual successor. The fact that Hladky is only 29 will be a massive motivation, while his availability for free will likely seal the deal in the Liverpool legend’s mind. The Gers need a goalkeeper going into next season, and considering everything that is on the line for the Gers next term, signing Hladky would have to be regarded as an absolute necessity.
