Rafael Fernandes has reportedly touched down in Scotland to get a loan move to Rangers over the line
Philippe Clement is desperate to beef-up his injury-hit backline and Portuguese kid Fernandes is being considered as a cost-effective solution to the Ibrox boss’ defensive crisis. Clement is sweating over Robin Propper’s availability ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup opener with Highland League minnows Fraserburgh, while John Souttar and Nana Kasanwirjo remain out.
Fernandes is said to have been shown round Ibrox on Friday as talks on a six-month loan swoop took place with his Ligue 1 employers. The 22-year-old former Sporting Lisbon trainee made the move to French Flanders last year when he was signed from Portuguese top-flight side Arouca in a €3million deal.
He’s yet to break into the Lille first-team but Gers scouts have identified the 6ft 3ins centre-back as a decent ball-playing prospect who could fit into Clement’s line-up. It remains to be seen if an option to make the move permanent will be included in the agreement.
Propper and keeper Jack Butland are both racing to be fit for Gers’ Europa League trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford next Thursday. Butland suffered a leg bleed that required hospital treatment last month while Propper rolled his ankle against Aberdeen.
However, there was more positive news when skipper James Tavernier and veteran stopper Leon Balogun both made their returns to action in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dons.
Another mooted option to solve the defensive crisis as been Burnley defender Hjalmar Ekdal. The big Swede, a £2.5m signing from Djurgarden in January 2023, missed the first chunk of the season with injury and has struggled to force his way back into Scott Parker’s plans in the Championship.
Expressen last week named Rangers as a potential option for the 26-year-old as he looks to get his career back on track. And now boss Parker has spoken out on both Ekdal and his teammate Hannes Delcroix, saying there could be an ‘option’ to let them go.
He said: “There may be an option there, yes. I mean, both players really have got the quality to play football. They are both very, very good football players.
“From my position, of course I’d love to keep them here and be part of things. But I also understand what stage they’re at and whether game time is a big thing for them, which I’m sure it is.
“They want to try and play some minutes and it’s a position in our squad that we are pretty stacked in terms of defenders, so there may be an option there.”