Rangers linked (Abola) midfielder Josip Vukovic recently confirmed via media outlet Vitez, that his release clause is set at £3.4m. Therefore, clubs will have to shell that amount to land this former Croatian u-19 international. Vukovic currently plies his trade for Portuguese outfit Maritimo.
The 26-year-old is a defensive midfielder by trade and Rangers have plenty of options in midfield who can play in that role. However, for the said amount, Vukovic’s signing will be an absolute bargain. There is no doubt in our mind that Rangers should go all out to sign this midfielder.
One can gauge his talent from the fact that Premier League heavyweights Chelsea are also interested in him and Rangers need to show urgency if they want to get their hands on this talented Croatian. The Bears have already got two Croatian players in their ranks in the form of Nikola Katic and Borna Barisic.
The defensive midfield position is currently occupied by the likes of Ross McCrorie and Ryan Jack. Even someone like Glen Kamara can fill in that position, so Rangers don’t exactly need to sign a defensive midfielder. However, Vukovic will be a decent upgrade over all the mentioned names given his talents and abilities. Also, once he settles down in the Scottish league, he has the means to absolutely boss the midfield areas.
Rangers are going to lose the services of Lassana Coulibaly at the end of the season as his loan spell is about to expire. There are no indications yet that Rangers would look to sign him permanently. Therefore, there could be one midfield slot vacated in the summer.
Vukovic is a midfield powerhouse, and he likes to sit back and shield the back four. He reads the game well and can make some smart interceptions and tackles. Apart from that, the 26-year-old showcases decent ability on the ball and can form a good base of attack for his side. All in all, he is capable of doing what any manager would want from his defensive midfielder.
Chelsea are also in the mix, and they can definitely offer the midfielder a much better and bigger contract. Apart from that, the Croatian can play in top European competition regularly. However, Rangers can offer him regular game time which he might find it hard to come by at the London club. So it remains to be seen what the player might do in the summer. As for Rangers, they don’t need to think twice before triggering the release clause as Vukovic is a top talent.
