According to a recent report by the Daily Record, Premiership giants Rangers have agreed a cut-price deal with French side Amiens over the potential permanent signing of South African midfield ace Bongani Zungu. The report suggests that the loan contract is embedded with an option to buy, but that Amiens initially demanded a transfer fee in the region of £4m. Now, however, it has been revealed that the fee in question is closer to £2.7m, which is a serious bargain considering that Zungu has agreed an extension at Amiens that sees his contract run until 2022.
Although Bongani Zungu’s Rangers option to buy fee has been revealed, whether or not the Ibrox club exercise this option remains to be seen. Speaking on the matter, a source from Amiens said, “There was a real common interest to get this deal done among all three parties and it works for everyone. Bongani is a fair man and this tells you about him. He had no desire to become a free agent next year and therefore potentially make himself more money because he felt he owed the club something. He also had a hunger to join Rangers immediately and try to help them fight for trophies in Scotland so this really was a win-win situation for all concerned.”
What Kind Of Player Is Bongani Zungu?
The Amiens loanee is a central midfielder by position and is at his best when given the freedom to pick up the ball from the defenders and look up for the next pass. Not only is a physically strong and capable of holding his own, but his vision and passing range are right up there with the best as well.
Capable of turning past opposition defenders in tight situations, Zungu tends to use his body well and ensure that he has the time he needs on the ball to make things happen for his team in an attacking sense.
Despite looking like an extremely combative holding midfielder, Zungu has the finesse and flair required to take on his man, while also possessing a keen eye for the forward pass. The best player to compare the South African with would be recent Arsenal signing Thomas Partey, who is capable of linking up the play just as well as he’s able to get back and help out in defence. Rangers don’t currently possess too many players in the Amiens loanee’s mould, with Nigerian midfield Joe Aribo the only realistic option for Gerrard.
What Is Rangers’ Current Midfield Situation?
The league has been underway for over two months now, and it that time, Gerrard has realised that midfield is one of his team’s problem positions. Although it all started looking hunky-dory, a host of back-to-back injuries threw light on the actual situation at hand. The knocks to the likes of Joe Aribo and Ryan Jack put Rangers in a tight spot, with the manager having to tweak the team in order to get through the next few weeks. The addition of a player like Zungu though would add some much-needed midfield depth, and could also provide competition to the likes of Glen Kamara and Steven Davis in the middle.
Bongani Zungu’s Rangers Option To Buy Fee Has Been Revealed: Should Gerrard Go For It?
The one thing that most supporters would’ve agreed on over the last few weeks was the fact that they have a shortage of midfielders. Although that could still be the case, the addition of an extra member is surely going to help their cause. While one more attack-minded player with experience in the British footballing scene would certainly help their cause (wink Jack Wilshere), it takes nothing away from what Zungu could add to the team. With Rangers hunting for Premiership glory, the Ibrox club should take on any help that they can get their hands on. At £2.7m, Zungu would be a bargain, and signing him would be a shrewd piece of business.
