Rangers could repeat Cantwell move with “powerful” late transfer

Glasgow Rangers appear to be close to securing a deal for Ivorian midfielder Mohamed Diomande if the latest reports are to be believed.

According to Danish outlet BT, the Gers have reached an agreement to sign the midfielder from FC Nordsjaelland as Philippe Clement looks to bolster his squad during the dying embers of the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old could be an exciting arrival at Ibrox, but hopefully that won’t be the only piece of business conducted by the club over the next week or so, especially with certain areas of the squad needing major overhaul.

One such position is the left-back area, as the Gers have two players who could potentially depart in the coming months.

Rangers’ search for a left-back

Borna Barisic is into the final few months of his contract and there has yet to be any discussion over an extension as of yet, indicating that it is likely he leaves Glasgow.

Ridvan Yilmaz could also be ending his stint in Scotland, as the Turkish defender is looking to leave Rangers amid interest from Galatasaray in his homeland.

This suggests Clement may be left with few options on the left side of defence unless he moves to bring in some reinforcements this month, and the club have been linked with a few names of late.

One player who has emerged as a potential signing is Cameron Pring, who is currently playing for Bristol City in the Championship.

According to journalist Alan Nixon last week, the Gers are chasing a move for Pring – who is out of contract in 2026.

This suggests that the club are under no pressure to move him on this window, but if a suitable offer arrives from the Premiership club, then it could perhaps tempt them to move him on.

The Light Blues have enjoyed previous success in signing players from the English second tier during the winter window, as Todd Cantwell proved last January when he arrived for just £1.5m and dazzled during his opening months north of the border.

Todd Cantwell’s numbers at Rangers

Cantwell arrived with fellow signing Nico Raskin last January and the duo made a positive start to their careers in Scotland, most notably the Englishman.

Indeed, having failed to register a single goal contribution during the first half of the season for Norwich City, Cantwell went on to score six times and grab six assists as he endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful.

Despite arriving mid-season, Cantwell ranked fourth in the squad for successful dribbles per game (1.5) along with ranking sixth for big chances created (five) and sixth for goals scored (six) in the top flight, proving that he was a big influence on the team and it gave him a solid base ahead of the current campaign.

The attacking midfielder has yet to hit the heights displayed between January and May last year so far during 2023/24, but he does have seven goal contributions across 26 matches as he has appeared in a few different positions under Clement.

If the Belgian can get the 25-year-old clicking into gear during the second half of the season however, Cantwell could be a vital component of a team who is eyeing up a remarkable treble.

Pring may not be an attacking midfielder, yet he can follow in Cantwell’s footsteps and enjoy a positive transition from the Championship to the Scottish top flight and become a key player for the 49-year-old coach.

The stats that show why Pring would be a good signing

As stated, the left-back area desperately needs a refresh and Pring could be the ideal candidate to become the new first-choice player in that area under Clement.

At 26, he is just entering his prime years and the defender has made 159 senior appearances across a host of clubs in England and the spell at Bristol City has been the longest of his career so far.

Although not the most attacking left-back, Pring still managed six assists and one goal last season, while during the current campaign, he has three goal contributions.

It is his defensive skills which are his strong suit and this could be a change of direction for Clement as Barisic and James Tavernier are attacking-minded full-backs who tend to bomb up and down their respective flanks on a regular basis.

Pring does currently rank second among his teammates for successful dribbles per game (one) in the Championship however, indicating that he can push forward when required, and he also ranks second for tackles per game (2.2) and third for interceptions per game (1.4) as his defensive abilities have been on show.

Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson analysed Pring’s strengths and weaknesses amid the recent links with the 26-year-old, saying: “The first thing to note about Pring is that he’s an absolute unit. 6’1, very strong and powerful. The unusual thing about this link, compared to the other left-backs, is that he excels in the defensive areas of the game.

“He’s not the chance creator the likes of Barisic and Tavernier are as the usual full-back options.”

Indeed, when compared to positional peers in leagues similar to the English Championship, Prings currently ranks in the top 1% for aerial duels per 90 (2.75) and in the top 6% for clearances per 90 (3.24), further evidence that the defensive side of his game is up to scratch.

There is no doubt he could be a useful signing during the current window and it would ease the burden of potentially just having one left-back in the first-team squad come the end of the transfer window.

Pring has demonstrated his talents in the second tier and has shone for City over the previous few seasons. He is certainly ready to take the next step in his career and a move to Scotland could provide him with the chance to win trophies along with playing in European competition.

The next few days of the winter window could see Diomande checking in at Rangers ahead of his proposed move, but hopefully Pring arrives before the deadline next week.