Rabbi Matondo has been offered a ‘fantastic’ opportunity as Scottish Premiership giants Rangers agree a £2.5 million deal for the Schalke misfit, former Wales international Nathan Blake tells the Scottish Sun.
Three years ago, Manchester City sold a teenage Matondo for £11 million, the spring-heeled winger following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho while swapping England’s north west for the banks of the Ruhr.
But that is where the similarities end.
Because, while Sancho went from strength to strength in Germany, Matondo’s has, to borrow Blake’s expression, ‘got a bit lost’. The 11-cap forward continues to drift down the pecking order following loan spells at Stoke City and Cercle Brugge. And Matondo is conspicuous by his absence from Schalke’s pre-season squad.
But Rangers, having agreed a £2.5 million fee with Schalke, are obviously willing to overlook a difficult couple of years, while offering a player dubbed one of Britain’s brightest youngsters not so long ago the chance to re-launch his career north of the border.
Rangers offer Schalke misfit Rabbi Matondo a lifeline
“It’s a great chance because his career has got a bit lost. It’s not really unfolded the way he expected,” says former Bolton and Wolves striker Blake.
“If I was advising him, I’d tell him; ‘We’re at Rangers now and we want to be here for the next four or five seasons’.
“It’s probably a better chance than I expected him to get, if I’m honest. That’s how highly I rate those clubs. It’s a fantastic chance.
“He’s moved almost every season and he’s struggled. He needs to be back in the UK and settle down.”
Matondo, who admitted turning down Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the past and has been likened to Leroy Sane, will follow compatriot Tom Lawrence to Ibrox. The talented attacking midfielder joined Rangers on a free transfer after his contract at cash-strapped Derby County expired.
Much to the frustration of Sheffield United.
“Tom is experienced and a very good player. He’ll do brilliantly for Rangers,” Blake adds. “I think he’s an underrated player. He’s a better player than a lot of people give him credit for.
“I think it’s a great chance for him. If he can go and hit 15 goals – and he’s more than capable of that – (can he go to) the World Cup?
“Even if he scores 12 or 13 and has five or six assists, he puts himself in a great position to get in that squad.”
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