Clement could land McCausland rival in Rangers move for "agile" whiz
Glasgow Rangers will be looking to bring in at least another two players before the end of the current January transfer window in order to strengthen their first-team squad.
Philippe Clement has already lured talented young striker Fabio Silva from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a six-month loan spell, but more additions will be required as they look to add to their League Cup triumph this season.
The Belgian has enjoyed a solid start to life at Ibrox, but he must not rest on his laurels and continue to keep the team focused ahead of fresh challenges in the coming months.
There have been a few names linked with a move to the club recently as the 49-year-old coach eyes reinforcements and the next couple of weeks could be interesting indeed.
While the left-back position remains a priority, the Gers are also targeting players to bolster other areas of the team and this has led to rumours linking the Light Blues with a move for a current Boca Juniors gem.
Rangers’ search for new signings
According to a report from the Evening Standard's Dom Smith earlier this week, the Ibrox side are eyeing up a swoop for Luca Langoni from the Argentinian side this month as they look to improve their attacking options.
As per Smith, Rangers have already made an approach to sign the player during the current transfer window, yet they could face plenty of competition for his signature.
Premier League side Fulham were linked with the talented youngster earlier in January, while Nice and Sevilla have also reportedly made approaches to bring him to Europe.
This suggests that Clement will need to act rather swiftly in order to bring him to Scotland and with the window closing in 14 days, he does not have the luxury of time.
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The Gers are slightly thin on the ground when it comes to attacking options, as Abdallah Sima is representing Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations, while Danilo remains unavailable due to a knee injury.
Ross McCausland has emerged as a permanent fixture on the right wing for the club in recent months. Could Langoni become a rival for his place in the starting XI should he join Rangers?
Ross McCausland has shone under Clement
The Northern Irish winger made his senior debut for the Gers way back in May 2022 and even grabbed an assist, and it looked like a sign of things to come.
He would have to wait until the end of the 2022/23 campaign to make his next appearance, yet under Clement, the youngster has thrived this term.
Across 18 matches in all competitions, McCausland has scored twice and the strike against Aris Limassol before Christmas was his first goal for the Light Blues in a tie where the club had to avoid defeat.
The 20-year-old has begun to make his mark on the team and, in the Premiership, he has averaged 1.4 key passes per game, created two big chances and succeeded with one dribble per game, solid figures for a player who is still developing and learning all the time.
With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Clement was keen to tie him down to a long-term deal and McCausland ended up signing an extension until 2027 in what could be a shrewd move by the manager.
Gaining the opportunity to play on a regular basis will prove to be vital in seeing the winger continue his development and, while at times he is not the most consistent, there shouldn’t be too much pressure placed on his young shoulders.
By signing Langoni, however, could Clement sign a player who will be a direct rival for McCausland in the future?
How Luca Langoni fits into the Rangers team
The 21-year-old made his debut for Boca in 2022 and went on to score six goals in just 18 league matches for the club, showcasing his vast talents and proving that he could be the next big thing to emerge from their youth sides.
He followed this up with three goals in 12 matches in the top flight during the 2023 campaign and his ten goals and two assists in just 45 senior matches for the club is an impressive start to his senior career.
The youngster enjoys dazzling on the right wing and producing the odd piece of skill and, while this may work in Argentina, the physicality of Scottish football indicates that he may need to refine his playing style in order to be successful in Scotland.
Kai Watson, founder of the Rangers Journal, profiled the player amid the rumours linking him with a move to Ibrox and outlined his thoughts on the young Argentinian.
He said: “Langoni is quick, agile, and confident running at defenders. His low centre of gravity allows him to get in between and passed defenders.
“However, his end product has been lacking despite his promise on the ball. He was touted as the next big thing coming out of Boca but the injuries have derailed his progress.
|
Argentinians to have played for Rangers |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|
|
Federico Nieto |
5 |
1 |
|
Claudio Caniggia |
64 |
16 |
|
Gabriel Amato |
38 |
12 |
|
Via Transfermarkt |
||
“It’s clear he’s still highly rated, as previously mentioned Fulham, Nice and Sevilla are also supposedly interested.”
Regarding injuries, Langoni has missed a total of 38 matches in his relatively short senior career due to a succession of muscle injuries and this could be slightly concerning for Clement, especially with the volume of injuries his current side seem to have.
If the Belgian can keep him healthy, however, there is no doubt Langoni could be a direct rival for McCausland on the right wing and this competition may spur them on to better performances.
It isn’t often the Gers are linked with someone from Boca Juniors, and it could be the ideal chance to cast the net afar and look to the likes of South America for emerging talent.
It remains to be seen how much the talented whiz would cost should a potential move occur, but one thing remains clear, snatching up players of his talent should be the onus for the former AS Monaco manager going forward.