Latest reports from the Turkish media suggest that Rangers are still interested in bringing Martin Skrtel to Ibrox and Steven Gerrard could once again look to reunite with his former team-mate. The Slovakian defender was a major centre of attention for the Bears in the summer window, but the move didn’t go through as Rangers were unwilling to match Skrtel’s wage demands.
Skrtel has once again emerged as a crucial player for Fenerbahce this season as he has already made 15 appearances, but they could look to sell him in January if the player doesn’t extend his contract which is set to end next year. The Turkish outfit would be wary of losing him for free; therefore the opportunity could once again arise for the Gers in January.
The 33-year-old no-nonsense centre-half spent the good part of his career playing for Liverpool where he was an influential figure at the back for the Reds. His agent Karol Csontó claimed in the summer that both the parties were ‘terribly apart’ in meeting the financial demand of the player so it remains to be seen whether the Slovakian would take a massive pay cut to reunite with his former captain.
Rangers meanwhile went on to sign Nikola Katic, Connor Goldson, Joe Worrall and Gareth McAuley throughout the transfer period and let go of the likes of Bruno Alves, Fabio Cardoso, David Bates and Russell Martin.
The Gers defence has been tight for the most parts this season, but the likes of Worrall and McAuley are going to be at the Ibrox only until next summer. Therefore in 2019, Gerrard could once again be in the lookout for a defender or two and signing Skrtel in January could reduce the burden of the summer transfer period.
Skrtel might be edging towards 34, but he still shows decent enough quality to play in the Scottish division. His bravery and commitment at the back should make him a hit among the Gers fans but only if Rangers manages to sign him on a reasonable wage.
In the summer it was being reported that the Turkish heavyweights were demanding £5m for the defender but we expect even that to reduce given the club might run the risk of losing him for free in the summer. So it remains to be seen whether Gerrard would be able to tackle these financial roadblocks.
Recent reports showcase that Gerrard is still keen on the defender and is following his former teammate’s situation in Turkey. If the transfer price and wage demands of the player doesn’t come down significantly, we believe the Bears should steer clear from this move.
