Rangers: Nikola Katic not seeking Ibrox exit | OneFootball

A promising development has emerged on Rangers centre-back Nikola Katic regarding his plans upon the end of his current loan spell…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Scotland, the defender sees his long-term future at Ibrox and is not looking to seal a permanent move away from the club.

The report claims that he will remain on loan at Croatian side Hajduk Split before returning to Glasgow next summer to fight for his place in the team at his parent club.

Does Katic have a future at Rangers?

Yes

Vote

No

Vote

Fans will be delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted with this claim as it suggests that Katic is up for the challenge of winning his place back in the side next season.

It could be a timely decision from the defender as Giovanni van Bronckhorst has a difficult situation looming in the summer. Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun are both out of contract, which could leave two sizeable holes in the squad to fill if they both decide to part ways with the club.

Katic already has experience of playing at the top level in Scotland. He made 59 appearances and scored six goals for the club in his first two years at Ibrox before suffering a cruciate ligament injury. Therefore, he may not need a period of adaptation to adjust to Scottish football, as he already knows the drill in the Premiership.

His former Gers boss Steven Gerrard previously hailed the defender’s mentality, saying: “The kid is a winner and a warrior. We know what he gives. Anyone his age, after giving the penalty away, might have gone into their shell. It might have affected their performance.

“But if you knock Niko Katic down, he’s gonna get back up and come again. That’s the man, that’s the player.”

1 of 10

How well do you know Morelos? First... who did he score his 100th goal against?

St Mirren Aberdeen Hearts Hibernian

This highlights his willingness to work hard for the team and come back from adversity, which means that he could have a good chance of returning next summer and establishing himself in the firs team.

Katic has the prior experience and the mindset required to make an impact next season, but what is his current form like?

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.97 for Hajduk Split this term across nine league outings. The centre-back has won 64% of his duels and made 4.1 clearances per game, showing that he has been consistently delivering solid performances for the club.

Therefore, Rangers fans will surely be delighted to hear that Katic sees his long-term future at Ibrox, as it appears as though he has the potential to come back and become an important player for the Light Blues if Van Bronckhorst is willing to give him a chance to shine.