In a recent print edition, The Sunday Mirror (21/11, Page 72) stated that Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Rangers left-back Borna Barisic during the January transfer window. It has been mentioned that the Villans boss Steven Gerrard is hoping to seal an £8m move to bring his former player to Villa Park this winter.
Barisic’s Solid Season In Scottish Football So Far
The 29-year-old is having an impressive campaign at the Ibrox Stadium after producing a series of impressive displays from the left side of Rangers’ defence. Barisic has featured in 13 matches for the Glaswegian giants last season, picking up two assists in the process across various competitions.
The former Dinamo Zagreb talent has proven himself to be a valuable member for his current club by averaging 1.5 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 3.0 clearances and 2.3 key passes per 90 minutes in the Scottish Premiership. He has even distributed the ball with conviction after making 81.2% of his attempted passes in the Scottish top-flight (stats via whoscored).
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Is Barisic The Right Choice For Aston Villa?
Barisic is always willing to make a tackle to make life uncomfortable for the opposition and can clear the danger when at risk of being caught out at the back. He has proven his worth as a reliable defender on the left flank during his time at the Ibrox.
More importantly, the Croatia international can engineer some inviting chances for his teammates in the final third. However, he needs to work on improving his shooting if he intends to add a few goals to his game in the future. At 29, Barisic has still got a few good years left in him to play at a high level.
Furthermore, Steven Gerrard knows the player well from his recent managerial spell at Rangers. Hence, the Villans head coach would be the ideal man to unlock the best out of the player in the coming seasons. Barisic is good enough to offer some healthy competition for Matt Targett at Villa Park which makes him a decent choice for the West Midlands side to consider when the transfer window commences at the start of next year.
