According to a recent report by Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti, Premiership giants Rangers are said to be in for the signature of NK Osijek’s prolific Croatian striker Mirko Maric. The report suggests that the Croatian top-flight club are keen to keep all of their main players going into the upcoming campaign, but it has been conceded that the Gers’ interest in the attacker could take this transfer saga down a different path. Although neither club have been reported to have provided any sort of confirmation on the regard, the link almost certainly exists.
Although it has been clarified that Rangers are interested in NK Osijek’s Mirko Maric, the real question mark comes in the form of the expected transfer fee. While it has further been said that the player recently extended his contract at the club, it has also been clarified that money is the key that unlocks most locks. Speaking on the matter, Osijek sports director Alen Petrovic said, “What I can say now is that for a few of our players there is interest in certain environments. I’m talking about some of the younger players that other clubs want to take on loan. I cannot talk about any individual situation”.
How Have Rangers’ Preparations For The New Season Gone?
The Ibrox club’s pre-season fixtures over the last few weeks would’ve done enough to prove to even the most pessimistic of fans that Gerrard’s squad has what it takes to challenge Celtic to the title all the way till the end this season.
The Gers picked up important 2-0 wins against the likes of Lyon and Nice recently, while their Old Firm rivals Celtic fell to 2-0 and 2-1 defeats respectively. Although Alfredo Morelos started the ties as the main striker, his actual influence while out on the pitch was minimal. The Colombian seemed to be struggling to make the ball stick, and it took special performances from the wingers to ensure they won.
While this might come as positive news to some, the biggest worry for a majority of fans going into the new season will be whether Morelos stays on at the Ibrox or not. With the president of Ligue 1 side Lille confirming their interest in purchasing Morelos, as has been confirmed by FourFourTwo, there could be certain red flags raised over the coming days. Removing the Colombian from the mix would leave Gerrard’s side with Greg Stewart and Jermain Defoe as the only remaining natural options. Defoe’s injury and Stewart’s lack of playing time could force Gerrard into using Ianis Hagi as the main striker.
What Makes Mirko Maric A Good Option For Rangers?
The Croatian striker was nothing short of prolific throughout the 19/20 league season, as he finished the term with 20 goals and six assists to show for his 35 outings in the team. Tall and physically intimidating, the 25-year-old does offer a very different kind of skill-set to anything that this Rangers side currently possess. Standing at just under 1.9m tall, the Croatian international is one of the deadliest headers of the ball in the whole of Europe. Despite his stature, Maric also boasts the ability to move the ball around fairly quickly too.
Rangers Are Interested In NK Osijek’s Mirko Maric: Should Gerrard Sign Him Up?
In Defoe and Morelos, Gerrard boasts two attackers who feed off strong positioning and finishing skills, while by signing Maric, he would be getting something fresh in the attack. Not having a plan B has worked against the Ibrox club on multiple occasions over the last two seasons, and bringing Maric in could be the way to go. With Rangers all set to battle it out with the Bhoys for the league title this season, Gerrard’s men will have to get as strong as they possibly can in the coming week, and bringing in a player of Maric’s quality would surely be a step in the right direction.
