Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has confirmed he is still a fan of Lassana Coulibaly and is looking into signing him on a permanent basis this summer, as reported by The Scottish Sun.
The Malian international has made 28 appearances for the Gers this season but has become something of a bit part player since the return from the winter break.
It’s led some to question his long-term future at the club, beyond the expiration of his loan at the end of this season.
The arrival of Glen Kamara has fuelled speculation that Gerrard is not interested in making him a permanent fixture in his squad, but the Ibrox boss remains keen on the 22-year-old’s services.
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the manager said:
There’s certainly a place and a part for Lassana to play between now and the end of the season. But there’s no guarantee with loan players that you can get them back or if they’ll be available.
The price tag for Lassana could be prohibitive. It’s a big consideration.
We like the player but there’s a lot of things involved. Price, salary, his contract at Angers (two years left) and whether there will be interest from other clubs. It’s a complicated one but we do like him.
Rated at £1.1m by Transfermarkt, it would clearly take a seven-figure fee to convince his French parent club to part with him.
Gerrard may see other areas of his team as more of a priority than a defensive minded midfielder, especially with Ross McCrorie emerging as a stellar option in the middle of the park.
Coulibaly did show glimpses of real quality at the start of the season though and having him around for European fixtures could prove to be really important.
It’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out.
Should we shell out the money it’d take to bring him Rangers permanently?