Rangers and Clement eyeing move to sign Fredrik Oppegard after Fabio Silva

Rangers once again proved their transfer prowess by signing young Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva in Philippe Clement‘s first reinforcement since arriving at Ibrox a few months ago.

With the Gers in control of the Scottish Premiership title race as things stand due to their games in hand, the 21-year-old may not have needed much convincing over the move, which hands him the chance to realise his potential after a period in the Midlands to forget.

Rangers may not stop with Silva in the January transfer window, however. Instead, he may just be the first of an extended list of reinforcements for Clement and on that list could be a solution to the new manager’s left-back problem.

Rangers transfer news

Rangers are certainly not waiting around ahead of 2024, with their focus clearly on solving any remaining issues in the squad that Clement inherited from Michael Beale, before turning them into title challengers once more. After securing the loan deal for Silva, Rangers Chief Executive James Bisgrove told the club’s official website:

“After speaking at length with Philippe, the Chairman and our Football board ahead of this transfer window, we are all aligned in the areas we are looking to strengthen heading into 2024. It is hugely positive to have been able to add to the squad so early, especially with a player of Fabio’s calibre, and we are delighted to welcome him to Rangers.”

Now, the Scottish giants could turn to solving their left-back problem, with Borna Barisic out of contract in the summer and Ridvan Yilmaz failing to make the position his own. According to The Daily Record, Rangers have scouted PSV Eindhoven left-back Fedrik Oppegard ahead of a potential move. Philadelphia Union’s Kai Wagner joins the 21-year-old on the list of left-sided defenders to have been scouted, handing those at Ibrox a potential decision to make in the coming weeks or months.

Oppegard desperately needs an opportunity to impress

Still only 21 years of age, Oppegard has found himself at somewhat of a crossroads after struggling to make an impact at PSV, before heading out on loan to Go Ahead Eagles. Oppegard’s injury history doesn’t make for pretty reading, either, handing Rangers plenty to think about.

Given his age, the Norwegian could yet become the solution for Clement’s left-back problem if finally handed a consistent opportunity in senior football. The Gers have handed Silva a similar opportunity and could keep the trend of landing young players going by signing Oppegard.

Missing a total of 48 games in under three seasons is hardly a positive sign for such a young player and Rangers should be well aware of his lengthy spells on the sidelines ahead of a potential move. The left-back could eventually realise his potential with a fresh environment, but those at Ibrox must weigh up the risk of securing his signature, especially given that they may need to replace Barisic as early as next summer.