“DEAL AGREED” – Rangers Officially Agree Deal for Premier League Centre-back who Russell Martins Personally Wants at Ibrox

Rangers Give Martin His Wish as Deal Agreed for Wolves Prospect Djiga

Russell Martin has got the defensive reinforcement he’s been after as Rangers look to finalise a deal for Wolves centre-back Nasser Djiga. The 22-year-old appears set to become the latest addition to the Ibrox rebuild, with sources close to the negotiations confirming the move is well advanced and expected to be wrapped up in the coming days.

Recruitment has been Rangers’ Achilles heel for much of the past decade. For every inspired bargain, there has been a questionable signing that failed to deliver under the relentless scrutiny of Glasgow football. Yet under the stewardship of the 49ers Enterprises ownership group, the mood in Govan is that the club is finally addressing long-standing gaps in its transfer approach. The consensus is that there’s a clear plan now, driven as much by the manager’s specific demands as by a renewed sense of financial discipline.

As one source put it, “Russell Martin wanted Djiga in early and the club have moved decisively. He’s got his wish. It’s now about getting the lad up to speed and bedded in before the serious stuff begins.”

Djiga, who joined Wolves in 2022 but struggled for regular first-team minutes at Molineux, has been on Rangers’ radar since his standout displays on loan in Belgium last season. A powerful and athletic defender, he fits the mould of the modern centre-half that Martin has been looking to anchor his back line around: mobile, aggressive in the tackle, and comfortable playing out from the back.

Some sceptics, however, will point out that Djiga remains relatively untested at a level comparable to the pressure cooker of Old Firm derbies and European nights at Ibrox. He’s only 22 and still prone to the occasional lapse in concentration, a factor that drew mixed reviews from Wolves supporters who felt he needed another loan to iron out rough edges.

Martin is understood to see Djiga’s rawness as a challenge worth taking on. Having insisted privately that the squad needed a younger, more dynamic spine, the former Swansea and Southampton boss has made defensive reinforcements a top priority this window. The plan is for Djiga to compete for a starting spot from day one, pushing the likes of Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun to maintain their levels.

Whether this signals a broader shift in Rangers’ transfer strategy remains to be seen. Previous managers have bemoaned the lack of joined-up thinking behind the scenes, with short-term stop-gaps often blocking pathways for promising signings. But Martin has made clear that any new arrival must add athleticism and fit the high-press, possession-based game he wants to imprint on the squad.

For now, supporters will wait to see if this new approach sticks. A busy summer lies ahead, with further incomings and outgoings expected as Rangers look to close the gap on Celtic and mount a credible challenge in Europe.

But with Djiga on his way, Martin can tick off one more item on his summer shopping list. The hope around Ibrox is that this time, the recruitment pays off — and the mistakes of old become a thing of the past.