Benjamin Siegrist is not be an easy man to replace. The pressure is on Carljohan Eriksson, then, to prove that he is the Craig to Siegrist’s Connery, rather than the Leto to Siegrist’s Ledger.
Dundee United signed the Finland international from Swedish top-flight outfit Mjallby this month.
Eriksson, it seems, is part of the succession plan at Tannadice, proof that United are planning for life without their trusty shot-stopper.
Siegrist, you see, is out of contract next summer. And, as Eriksson himself said upon his official unveiling last week, ‘it is not entirely unlikely’ that clubs will be queuing up around the block to secure the 29-year-old’s signature ahead of him becoming a free-agent in July.
In fact, it’s pretty much nailed-on.
Will Rangers beat Southampton to Benjamin Siegrist?
According to The Mail, Siegrist has interest from Germany, France and Belgium.
Southampton have made a new goalkeeper their top priority heading into 2022 and are willing to offer the one-time Aston Villa youngster a second stab at the Premier League.
The Saints will face competition from, amongst others, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s title-chasing, Europa League-bothering Rangers.
Even the evergreen Allan McGregor cannot defy Father Time forever – even if he’s doing a rather good job of exactly that at present. The soon-to-be-40-year-old, like Siegrist, is entering the final few months of his contract.
Siegrist is a decade McGregor’s junior and would arrive at Ibrox with a proven track record in Scottish football.
He is, along with McGregor, Joe Hart and another Ibrox-linked stopper in Zander Clark, arguably the most reliable gloveman in the country.
Siegrist’s agent admitted in late-2020 that Celtic had shown an interest. It is not inconceivable, amid doubts about Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain, that Rangers could face competition from their Old Firm neighbours.
Wherever Siegrist ends up, he’ll be missed at Tannadice. Though it’s up to Carljohan to prove that no one – not even Siegrist – is irreplaceable.
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