Rangers have joined Premier League outfit Norwich City in the race to sign out-of-contract goalkeeper Martin Fraisl from Bundesliga.2 giants Schalke 04, according to the Daily Mail.
Since the summer of 2020, Rangers have signed a grand total of 17 players, either for a fee, on a free or via a short-term loan deal. But how many of those really, genuinely improved the club’s starting XI?
Ianis Hagi perhaps? Kemar Roofe maybe? Leon Balogun’s had his moments, alongside Connor Goldson at the heart of Rangers’ backline. But that’s about it.
Cedric Itten, Bongani Zungu, Jack Simpson and Junino Bacuna failed to live up to expectations. Meanwhile, the jury is still very much out on John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala.
With so many key players out of contract this summer and the next, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Ross Wilson and co are under real pressure to right the wrongs of previous windows.
And finding, then signing, a new first-choice goalkeeper will be an early test of Rangers’ mettle.
Will Martin Fraisl replace Allan McGregor at Rangers?
Yes, mistakes have crept into Allan McGregor’s game recently – as you might expect, given he turned 40 in January. But that ‘outstanding’ performance in last week’s Old Firm humbling at Celtic showed that there is still plenty of life left in the grand old dog of Ibrox.
Whoever takes his place between the sticks will be expected to not only provide cat-like reflexes but also a vocal presence at the back. A willingness to lead by example, through the quality of his performances and the sheer force of personality.
Whether Fraisl is ready for such a challenge is up for debate. The 28-year-old Austrian has established himself as Schalke’s first-choice shot-stopper after signing from Dutch outfit ADO Den Hag last summer.
But, with his short-term contract running out in July, he could be on the move again. According to The Mail, Fraisl has admirers at Rangers, Norwich and at a number of other European clubs.
Fraisl will turn 29 in August. Across his entire career, he’s played only 30 top-flight games, in Holland and Romania.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
