Rangers could sign award-winning Tom Lawrence upgrade
Rangers could sign award-winning Tom Lawrence upgrade
Glasgow Rangers ultimately failed to end their local rivals' dominance in the Scottish Premiership as they ended the 2023/24 campaign in second place.
The Light Blues finished eight points off the top of the table and have not won the division since the 2020/21 season under former boss Steven Gerrard.
Celtic have now won each of the last three titles and Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen will know that they have work to do in the upcoming summer transfer window to piece together a squad capable of coming out on top in the division next term.
The team's current focus will, however, be on the SFA Cup final clash with the Hoops at Hampden Park on Saturday, as they bid to win a second domestic cup trophy of the campaign.
After that game, Clement and Koppen's full attention should be on the window and the players they could bring in from elsewhere to bolster the team.
They could land a major upgrade on Tom Lawrence in the middle of the park by securing a deal for one star who has been tentatively linked with a move to Ibrox.
Rangers' potential interest in Georgia international
Firstly, GeorgianFooty on X cited Glasgow World as a source on Rangers being interested in a swoop to sign central midfielder Otar Kiteishvili from Sturm Graz.
The post relayed a supposed report that claimed that Scottish giants are targeting a deal to bring in the talented whiz, whose contract is due to expire this summer.
However, it then turned out that the original article from Glasgow World was a list of 37 possible midfielders who are out of contract ahead of next season that the Light Blues could look at to sign.
When that was pointed out on X, GeorgianFooty replied that they had seen links to Rangers for Kiteishvili from several local sources in Georgia, which suggests that there may be more validity to the claim than first appeared.
This means, however, that it is not a concrete transfer rumour or one that Rangers fans should expect to happen in the coming weeks or months, but it could be one to keep an eye on, particularly if the Georgia international does not sign a contract extension with Sturm Graz.
If he allows his deal to expire and becomes a free agent then the midfielder could be an attractive target for the Light Blues, as his form during the 2023/24 campaign suggests the potential is there for him to be a huge upgrade on Lawrence.
Tom Lawrence's form for Rangers this season
The Welsh whiz made 23 appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season for the Gers but failed to showcase his attacking quality on a regular basis.
Lawrence, who operated in a central or attacking midfield position, chipped in with two goals and three assists in those 23 league outings as his side finished second in the division.
That came after the former Derby County star had plundered two goals and one assist in five Premiership games in an injury-disrupted first year at Ibrox during the 2022/23 campaign.
In total, Lawrence, who could still feature in the SFA Cup final on Saturday, produced three goals and three assists in 28 games in the league and the Europa League combined.
As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old maestro did not score or assist goals on a consistent basis, or create high-quality opportunities week-in-week out for the Scottish giants, domestically or in Europe.
Lawrence, who scored two goals from 2.36 xG in the Premiership, also lost 51% of his ground duels and only made 1.2 tackles and interceptions combined per match.
This shows that the experienced ace is very much an attack-minded player who does not offer much to the team out of possession when it comes to winning the ball back.
Therefore, Lawrence endured an underwhelming season overall as, despite being in the team to score and create goals, he did not provide consistent quality in the final third, which is why Rangers could now look to find an upgrade this summer.
Why Otar Kiteishvili could be an upgrade on Tom Lawrence
Kiteishvili could arrive at Ibrox as a significantly better option in the middle of the park for Clement if he can translate his performances in Austria over to Scottish football.
He won the Bundesliga Player of the Season award for his outstanding displays on the pitch during the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to how highly the star is rated at his current club.
As shown in the clips above, the 28-year-old award-winner has a terrific strike in his locker, quick and agile feet, and has the ability to score in a variety of ways; from the edge of the box, under pressure from defenders in the area, and with his head.
The Georgia international racked up 11 goals and nine assists in 40 matches in all competitions - 20 goal contributions in total - and his form in the Bundesliga suggests that the quality is there for him to be a huge upgrade on Lawrence.
As you can see in the table above, Kiteishvili could provide more to the team in and out of possession from a central or attacking midfield role.
The Bundesliga Player of the Season racked up 14 direct goal contributions, compared to Lawrence's five, in just two more appearances this term.
He also made over twice as many tackles and interceptions per game for Sturm Graz, who won the league title, than the Welshman did for Rangers, which shows that the Georgia international could also offer more from a defensive perspective.
Related
Rangers lodge bid for 2.7m star who'd be a better signing than Jefte
The Light Blues have reportedly made an offer to sign the young central defender.
Therefore, Clement could land a huge upgrade on Lawrence by securing a deal to sign Kiteishvili this summer, due to the far superior quality he could provide on and off the ball in a midfield position next season.
However, it still remains to be seen whether or not the 28-year-old star is an active target for the Gers or not, or if he would be willing to make the move to Glasgow.