MusaRangers still have a few weeks to go.
Martin’s first competitive game is in just over four weeks when they host Panathinaikos at Ibrox in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers, while the Light Blues begin their Premier League campaign against Motherwell at Fir Park on August 2.
The club are expected to make a few new signings before then, so are they looking to strengthen their back line?
Rangers looking for a new centre-back
According to Hrvoje Tironi’s report in Croatian newspaper 24 Sata, Rangers are “seriously interested” in signing Osijek defender Luka Jelenić, who faces competition from Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães.
They add that Jelenić joined Osijek from Varaždin for just €800,000 (around £685,000) a year ago, but the “reliable centre-back” is likely to be sold for “serious money” after a string of “quality” performances despite his side finishing seventh in last year’s Prva HNL.
Rangers are in need of central defensive reinforcements, especially after it was confirmed on Friday that Leon Balogun had left the club on a free transfer to Aris Limassol, where he could partner a familiar face in Cyprus next season, namely Connor Goldson.
So could Jelenić prove to be a smart signing?
How Jelenić could improve Rangers
As previously reported, Rangers were keen to sign Harry Darling on a free transfer this summer, given that the Englishman had worked with Martin at MK Dons and Swansea, but he opted to join Norwich City and Liam Manning in the Championship instead.
It appears that this has increased their interest in Jelenić, returning to a familiar source of talent after failing to convince the current Canaries star to move to Ibrox.
In July 2018, Steven Gerrard’s side knocked NK Osijek out of the Europa League qualifiers, with Alfredo Morelos the only scorer at Stadion Gradski Vrt, before a 1-1 draw in Glasgow a week later saw them progress.
The Blues and Whites impressed Gerrard so much that he quickly signed two of their players.
The less said about Eros Grezda, the better, but the reported £2.2m paid to secure Borna Barišić’s signature proved to be a bargain, given that he would go on to make 236 appearances for the light blues, win all three domestic trophies and be a key figure in a team that reached 202 Europa League finals.
So can Jelenić have a similar impact?
Well, let’s assess his stats from this season’s Prva HNL.
Luka Jelenić 2024/25 Prva HNL Stats
Stats
Jelenić
Prva HNL Rankings
Minutes
2,532
32
Interceptions
50
1
Tacks
58
12
Distances
144
7
Passing Accuracy %
86.74%
9
Cards Completed
1,204
10
Stats Courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore
As can be seen from the table, despite his somewhat limited minutes, Jelenić ranked highly for every defensive metric, as well as passing accuracy, highlighting that he is a well-rounded defender who is particularly good at reading the game and passing.
In comparison, Darling was ranked 233rd in the EFL Championship for tackles (31) and 130th for interceptions (25), while recording a pass accuracy of 87.8%, just slightly higher than Jelenić’s figures, suggesting the Croatian star could offer the team a lot more defensively.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes him as a “crazy talent”, while writer Kai Watson describes how Jelenić, at 6ft 2, is physically imposing and has “strong” defensive skills, while also being good in possession.
Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Molero highlights how he is “hard to beat” in defensive duels and rarely makes a mistake.
So, while the main target of Darling, who has gone elsewhere, is a more known quantity, Jelenić is certainly a young defender on the rise with huge potential, so it would be great if Rangers could add him to their squad.
Musa
