Rangers will already be ‘drawing up potential replacements’ for star defender Connor Goldson ahead of his potential exit, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The highly-rated 29-year-old is set to enter the final sixth months of his current contract with the Ibrox outfit, and with no sign of a renewal on the horizon he could depart on a free transfer next summer.
Will Goldson leave Rangers?
After arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £3 million back in June 2018, Goldson has gone on to establish himself as one of Scottish football’s most dominant centre-backs.
In 192 appearances for the Gers, the 6 foot 2 beast has bagged an impressive 17 goals while also providing a further seven assists for his grateful teammates, winning the league title along the way.
But it’s his overall performances that have really caught the eye. As per WhoScored, Goldson has won 3.6 aerial duels per league game this term, making 3.6 clearances and 0.3 blocks.
Prior to the Glasgow giants’ Boxing Day clash with St. Mirren, those figures placed him second when compared to his teammates in each metric, highlighting his importance to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s charges.
However, with Goldson’s imminent exit appearing ever more likely, the reigning Scottish champions will need to secure an adequate replacement upon his departure.
And O’Rourke believes plans will already be in place for that eventuality, with former Southampton defender Wesley Hoedt a possible successor.
What has O’Rourke said about Goldson?
The former Netherlands international has been outlined as a target for the Ibrox outfit in a report by the Daily Record (as also relayed by Ibrox News) ahead of the January transfer window.
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With Goldson tipped to either follow former manager Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa next month or become a free agent in the summer, O’Rourke claims Hoedt could be a sensible purchase.
He told GiveMeSport: “I'm sure they are drawing up potential replacements for Goldson, and I think Hoedt probably would fit the bill.”
Would Hoedt be a good signing?
Hoedt caught the eye with several outstanding performances at boyhood club AZ Alkmaar, earning himself a move to Italian giants Lazio in 2015.
Two years later, the Saints splashed out £15m to secure his services, but he struggled to find his best form on the south coast, embarking on a series of loan spells in order to seal regular game time.
A permanent move to Anderlecht followed 18 months ago, and Hoedt has successfully rebuilt his career under the stewardship of Vincent Kompany at The Lotto Park.
As a result, sporting director Ross Wilson – who signed Hoedt for Southampton – is believed to have sent scouts to watch the centre-back ahead of what would be an exciting move for everyone associated with Rangers.