Scottish Premiership giants Rangers are reportedly set to pay £4.2m to sign Filip Helander from Serie A outfit Bologna.
Rangers fans were left wondering just who on earth Steven Gerrard was talking about when he told the Herald on Tuesday that a new defender was on his way to Ibrox within the next 48 hours.
But those eagle-eyed supporters might now have their answer. According to reports coming out of Sweden via Aftonbladet, The Gers are on the verge of completing the signing of Bologna’s 6ft 4ins Sweden international Filip Helander – for £4.2 million.
If that fee is correct, Helander is set to become one of the most expensive signings in Rangers’ history and their biggest buy since Barry Ferguson returned to Glasgow from Blackburn Rovers 14 years ago.
That is some statement, even for a club who have made no secret of their desire to bring an end to Celtic’s eight-year domination of Scottish football.
But, with such a massive price-tag on his head, Helander will be arriving in the second city with all eyes fixed firmly on him. So many of Rangers’ centre-back signings, from Bruno Alves to Fabio Cardoso, Gareth McAuley to Phillipe Senderos, have flopped in the last few years and Helander really cannot afford to follow in their footsteps.
For such an outlay, Rangers obviously feel the 26-year-old is worthy of being a marquee addition and the sort of player who will take Gerrard’s youthful, promising team to a whole other level. He’s certainly a commanding presence at the back, a man mountain of a centre-back who thrives in an aerial duel, even if his distribution could do with some work.
Succeed, via a prolonged title challenge or a cup win, and Helander will look worth every penny. Fail and questions will be asked, not just of the player himself but of Gerrard and director of football Mark Allen.
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