Rangers line up move to sign £6m star

Speaking after the saga surrounding James Tavernier’s Ibrox farewell, Glasgow Rangers manager Danny Rohl spoke of the need for “strong change” at the club this summer.

For some, that ‘change’ should well be in the dugout, with Rohl having overseen four defeats in a row post-split to end the club’s title hopes, ultimately finishing ten points adrift of the champions.

And yet, Andrew Cavenagh appears to be standing by his man, suggesting that Rohl will be backed to oversee another squad overhaul ahead of mounting a title charge next season.

The German did lay the foundations with the signings of Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani and Ryan Naderi in January, potentially a sign of things to come this summer.

Rangers could see bid accepted for midfield sensation

There was a clear theme to Rohl’s winter dealings, with three of the four arrivals, Andreas Skov Olsen aside, having been under the age of 23, pointing to the Gers’ pursuit of youthful, high-potential talents who can later be sold on for profit.

Seeking out promising bargains has been a theme of the club’s recruitment even prior to that, however, notably signing Hamza Igamane on a £1.7m deal in 2024, having also snapped up Nicolas Raskin on a similar bargain deal from Standard Liege 18 months earlier.

Now, with two years left on his deal, appears the time to finally cash in on Raskin, with the player himself seemingly keen on an Ibrox exit this summer.

That talk comes amid the Old Firm side’s search for midfield reinforcements, with Portuguese newspaper Record – via SportWitness – reporting that Rangers are again in the race for BK Hacken star, Silas Andersen.

As per the report, Sporting CP have made contact over a potential move for the 21-year-old, while German outfit Koln have seen a bid of around £3.4m rebuffed.

The Swedish outfit are said to be willing to cash in for closer to £5.9m, ensuring a deal could be struck by either Rangers or fellow suitors Celtic, should they match that asking price.

How Andersen compares to Raskin & Diomande

Considering the manner in which the season ended, no one can be considered safe from the axe at Ibrox, not least the likes of Raskin and Mohamed Diomande in the midfield ranks.

In Raskin’s case, the 25-year-old appeared to be hitting his groove at the right time, amid statement displays against the likes of Aberdeen and Falkirk before the split, yet when push came to shove, the polarising talent was found wanting again.

As for Diomande, the 24-year-old has drifted in and out of the side under Rohl this season, making only 20 Premiership starts, four of which came in the final five games of the campaign.

The former Nordsjaelland man hasn’t quite kicked on as expected, with the arrival of another rising star from Scandinavia, in the form of Andersen, potentially set to represent the beginning of the end for the Ivorian’s time in Glasgow.

Still just 21, Andersen – quite literally at 6 foot 4 – has been head and shoulders above both men of late, particularly with regard to his work off the ball from his deep-lying midfield berth.

Looking at the 2025 season in the Swedish top-flight, with the new campaign only in its infancy, it’s easy to see the Dane’s ball-winning prowess, having been such a monster in front of the back four.

Also comfortable operating at centre-back, the towering, elegant midfielder averaged a stellar 4.9 tackles and interceptions per game, while recovering seven balls per game on average across his 26 outings, 24 of which came from the start.

For comparison, Raskin averaged just 3.1 and 4.5 for those same two metrics, respectively, in the Premiership this season, while Diomande averages just 1.9 and 3.5.

Andersen also won 59% of his total duels and 60% of his ground duels, again bettering both Raskin (55%, 55%) and Diomande (50%, 52%) in that regard.

Considering Rangers shipped more goals than any other member of the Premiership’s top four, having also conceded at least two goals in each of their last seven games, signing a new defensive pillar is of paramount importance this summer.

As things stand, Rohl’s midfield unit doesn’t appear to be offering enough protection to the backline, such has been the glut of goals conceded, with Andersen seemingly a perfect upgrade in that regard.

He’s young, full of potential and not set to break the bank – what’s not to like?