According to a recent report by Glasgow Times, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has hailed the influence that Croatian left-back Borna Barisic has had in the team over the last couple of seasons. The gaffer initially confirmed that the man of the moment is not for sale and that any clubs interested in his services would have to dish out a mammoth chunk of money. While the Liverpudlian legend admitted that every member of the current Rangers squad has a defined value, he went on to concede that nothing other than a highly lucrative offer would be enough to tempt them to cash in on Barisic.
Although it has been clarified in the report that Gerrard says Rangers left-back Borna Barisic is not for sale, a big-money offer from one of the bigger teams in the continent could easily change the gaffer’s mind. Speaking to Glasgow Times, Gerrard said, “We’re not surprised if there is any interest in Borna. Left-backs are difficult to get. And we own one. It doesn’t matter, he’s staying here. He’s not for sale. But if someone did come, they would have to bring an awful lot of money with them. We are even stronger than strong, really. Borna is happy here, he’s settled. He loves it here and we love him.”
How Did Borna Barisic First Make A Name For Himself?
The Croatian international full-back was originally a member of the NK Osijek youth system, which is where he first broke through the ranks. Having worked his way up the levels over the course of many years, he earned a move to Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2015.
Saying that his stint at Zagreb was a failure would only be an understatement, as he managed to make just one appearance over the entire duration he was there. After a decent loan spell at Lokomotiva and an underwhelming career as a Dinamo Zagreb player, Barisic made the return to Osijek in 2016.
Within two years of returning to his boyhood club though, the speedster began to create a name for himself across the European scene. During the 16/17 and 17/18 league campaigns, the defender was a first-choice starter at Osijek, and things were certainly looking on the up in terms of his career as well. It was in the summer of 2018 that he earned the switch to Rangers, and the rest of his career at the Ibrox has been written into history. Two seasons on as a regular and Barisic is now an undroppable member of Gerrard’s roster. He featured in 22 league outings last season and produced a decent return of two goals and eight assists as well.
What Is Barisic’s Role In Gerrard’s System At The Ibrox?
Up until the end of last season, the Gers’ back-line used to take up a fairly conservative approach towards defending. This time around though, Gerrard seems to have mixed things up a bit. The full-backs have both been tasked with bombarding forward on every opportunity, with a high starting position to ensure that they’re able to influence the attacking play. Barisic’s overlapping runs and crossing ability are a constant nuisance on the opposition defenders, and this had been in full display last weekend when he picked up a goal and an assist in the win against St.Johnstone.
Gerrard Says Rangers Left-Back Borna Barisic Is Not For Sale: A Smart Decision?
Since the start of this new season, the mood around the Ibrox Stadium has been positive. Not only have they picked up three wins out of three, but they’ve managed to do it by scoring seven times and not conceding even once in the process. While the entire roster deserves credit for how they’ve performed, there have undoubtedly been several standout players. Barisic, over the last couple of seasons, has managed to win over the hearts of even the most pessimistic of Rangers fans, and keeping him at the club in the long-term should be treated with the utmost importance.
