Reports claim that Martin Skrtel has been left out of Slovakia’s international friendlies against Morocco and the Netherlands due to muscle issues. Rumours predict the 33-year-old to be currently in Scotland to complete his move to Rangers FC. Steven Gerrard has shown major interest in bringing his former Liverpool teammate to the Ibrox in order to solidify the Gers backline. The newly appointed Rangers boss is planning on making a complete squad overhaul to improve the team’s chances of upstaging their bitter rivals, Celtic to the major honours next season.
Skrtel played 8 years with Liverpool, from 2008 to 2016. It was a long and prosperous journey, which saw the gritty centre-back win the hearts of plenty at the Anfield. He quit the Merseyside outfit on a £5m transfer to Fenerbahce after the 2015/16 season.
In that very season, he completed his 300th game for the Reds and went onto make 320 appearances in total. One of the longest-serving players at the club and one of the most loved, Skrtel’s name was always circled around being one of the best in the Premier League.
He is the very definition of unflinching resoluteness. He commanded the Liverpool backline for years through good times and bad. He is also an uncontested starter in the Slovakia national squad, having been capped 97 times already and 6 international goals registered to his name.
Skrtel is not only still capable of manning the Rangers backline, he is very much the type of player they need at the moment. The Light Blues have been exposed in the past season by Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side.
The fans were shocked to see their team get ploughed 5-0 by Celtic earlier this month. Brendan Rodgers’ men just kept extending their dominance over the Gers by producing a better result every time they matched up. At first, it was the 2-3 loss at Ibrox and then it got followed up by another 4-0 thrashing at the Scottish Cup Semi-Finals.
The final matchup of the 2017/18 season was the final straw as Graeme Murty’s services were done away with and Gerrard was appointed to make immediate changes. How far they will go at the hands of the former England captain is yet to be seen but for the time being, the fans remain hopeful.
Skrtel will be the right answer to Bruno Alves’ recurring injury problems. The latter has slowed down on the defensive end and could be a liability in the long run.
Skrtel could also fill in as the regular starter now that Russell Martin has returned to Norwich City after the completion of his loan spell. So it can be expected to be a profitable deal for the Teddy Bears once the Slovakian ace arrives at the Ibrox.
