Rangers have been linked with a few players in this transfer window with some stories being more accurate than others as we have learned this week, however, the rumoured pursuit of Ahmed Kendouci has gone strangely quiet.
The Algerian playmaker has reportedly handed in a transfer request to force through a move away from ES Setif with both sides of the Old Firm said to be chasing his signature although with Celtic already adding two midfielders and their manager admitting that they won’t be doing any other business, it would be a surprise if he ends up at Parkhead.
Kendouci is a midfielder capable of playing anywhere in a central position and has amassed 30 goals/assists in his 71 games for ES Setif but the standard of the Algerian league is a hard one to assess, you would expect a player with his numbers – at his age – to have been in and around the national team by now and yet his record at international level, even for the age group teams, is underwhelming to say the least.
As has been shown this week though we do need depth in midfield, in particular, someone else who can play the role that Scott Arfield has enjoyed since Giovanni van Bronckhorst took over, Joe Aribo has played there on occasions but is much more suited to controlling the game from an advanced position.
A young, goalscoring number eight would be an excellent addition to the Rangers squad in January but we’ll have to wait and see if Kendouci manages to force through his move or if Ross Wilson has something else up his sleeve.