Rangers are in contact to sign the £9.4kp/w star

Glasgow Rangers begin the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign next month as they travel to Ibrox on the opening day.

Philippe Clement's have started their preparations before the new season and were beaten by Ajax 2-1 on Saturday, with Tom Lawrence scoring a spectacular free-kick for Rangers.

Although the Light Blues have friendlies to prepare and play in the next few weeks before the first league game, head of recruitment Nils Koppen will focus on his work off the pitch.

The King of Belgium is already busy throughout the season with the exchange of players trying to build a squad that will be able to win the Premiership title next season.

Jefte, Hamza Igamane, Connor Barron, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly and Mohammed Diomande have all been given full deals, while Oscar Cortes has signed a loan deal that will make the move permanent next year.

Koppen and Clement may not be done there, however, as they are reportedly eyeing a move for a new midfielder to strengthen the squad this month.

The Guardians make a way to find the star that wins the title

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, the Scottish giants have made contact with BSC Young Boys central midfielder Chiekh Niasse.

The reporter claims that the Light Blues have approached the Swiss Super League to gather information on the defensive ace as they pursue a swoop for his services.

This shows that the Gers have a good level of interest in the midfielder as they have decided to do so by contacting the Swiss based club.

However, Longari did not reveal whether Young Boys are willing to cash in on their midfielder ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, as they may want to sign him in the summer window, or how much it will cost.

So, it remains to be seen whether a deal for Niasse will happen or the Light Blues as they plan to add more to their midfield after the signings of Barron and Diomande.

Koppen had already secured a permanent deal for Diomande after his loan move to Ibrox in the second half of last season, while Barron was snapped up from Aberdeen after his contract with the Premiership club expired at the end of May.

Niasse can now be brought in as the Scotland midfielder's dream partner in the middle of the park for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.

Connor Barron's form in the Premiership last season

The dynamic gem arrives at Ibrox with a proven track record in the Premiership thanks to his experience with Aberdeen at first-team level last season.

He has shown his ability to perform at the highest level in the division, despite his lack of experience and age, and can now hit the ground running for the Light Blues as a result.

The 21-year-old dynamo has played in 29 of his 38 league games in the 2023/24 campaign, after making 17 appearances last term, and has caught the eye with his hard work.

As you can see from the table above, his display for the Dons was outstanding, from a defensive perspective, compared to Rangers midfielder Lundstram.

These figures suggest that Barron could be a good replacement for the Englishman, who has signed for Trabzonspor on a free transfer, due to his good qualities without treatment.

The Scotland U21 international is a combative and tenacious midfielder, as shown in the figures above, who has the body and space to dominate opposition players in duels on the ground and in the air.

He was also tackled less times than Lundstram despite making more tackles and tackles per game, which shows that the Gers signing is more difficult for opposition players to get through the middle of the pitch.

Of course, however, it is now up to the Scottish hope to prove he can carry that form into his time at Ibrox and hit the ground running in Glasgow in the coming months.

Why Chiekh Niasse would be Connor Barron's dream partner

The 24-year-old brute could be a great signing for teammate Barron in Rangers' midfield due to his big presence and strong defensive qualities.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Niasse is a formidable figure in the middle of the park and can give the Gers energy from set pieces, defensively and offensively, using his frame and body to make first contact from balls to any box.

His form for Young Boys over the past two seasons in the Swiss Super League also suggests he has the defensive and physical qualities to be a formidable player alongside the Scotland youth international.

As you can see from the table above, Niasse won most of his duels, both on and off the pitch, in midfield last season as he dominated the opposition from a physical point of view.

The impressive ace also averaged seven tackles, passes, and recoveries per game, showing just how much he achieved for his team.

In the 2022/23 league campaign, the £9.4k-a-week midfielder made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won 59% of his duels in 26 appearances for Young Boys.

His stats over the past two seasons for the Swiss side suggest he has the defensive quality to consistently break down attacks at an effective rate.

This is why Niasse could be Barron's dream partner as they both have the physical and defensive attributes to form a formidable pairing for Rangers next season, as they can combine to dominate the midfield and give the attackers a strong platform to build from.