Manager who wants Ibrox job dumped £4m Rangers ace at former club

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Speaking to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet this week, Filip Helander admitted that his future at Rangers remains very much up in the air, his contract expiring next summer and with no sign of an extension. 

Whether or not the Sweden international stays or goes, of course, depends largely on the identity of Rangers’ next manager. Reports suggesting that Sinisa Mihajlovic would relish the prospect of taking Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s seat on the Ibrox bench, then, may have Helander packing his bags and dusting off his passport (Daily Record). 

Helander and Mihaijlovic have a history. And not in the ‘reunion between two old friends sort of way’, either.  

Mihajlovic’s appointment as the head coach of Serie A outfit Bologna on January 29^th 2019, after all, was the beginning of the end for Helander at the Rossoblu.

Rangers’ £4 million man started every single game he was available for during the first half of that season. With the former AC Milan and Sporting Lisbon coach in situ, however, Helander featured in the XI just three times in 14 matches February and May. 

He didn’t even get off the bench for any of Bologna’s final five games in 2018/19, leading to his summer departure and subsequent arrival at Ibrox. 

Will Filip Helander and Sinisa Mihajlovic reunite at Rangers?

“It’s true that I haven’t had a lot of games,” Helander said, understanding of Mihajlovic’s stance but no less frustrated.

“In fairness to the coach, the team was doing really well and he didn’t want to change a winning team. But I admit it’s not been much fun for me. I maintain I have a good relationship with Mihajlovic. He’s a good coach.”

Clearly, Helander is not one to hold a grudge. Furthermore, according to Corriere dello Sport, Mihajlovic actually wanted Helander to stay at Bologna during the summer of 2019, viewing him as a key part of the squad even if not a guaranteed starter. 

There will be no fireworks between Helander and Mihajlovic should they reunite at Ibrox. But the initial handshakes and small talk could be more than a little awkward.