Rangers' £1.7m target outshone Matt O'Riley and was 'best player on the pitch' vs Celtic
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Back in 2022, when sharing a pitch with Kyogo Furuashi, Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate and Jota, it was a now-Rangers teenager who stood out head and shoulders above the Celtic stars.
Growing up in West Yorkshire tends to instil a sense of grit and dogged determination in your soul.
Two attributes which were clear to see from the very first moment Everton’s Isaac Price crashed into his first tackle of a typically tireless display, doing what Rangers tried to failed to do so many times over the years and disrupting the rhythm of those much-vaunted Celtic playmakers.
It was performance made all the more impressive when you consider that he started out in a double pivot, rather than in his favoured number eight role, while operating for a long period as the only recognised midfielder after Abdoulaye Doucoure was forced off injured.
Price, during that clash with the Scottish Premiership giants back in 2022, had only played one senior game at that point of his career too.
With reports now claiming that Rangers are interested in bringing Isaac Price to Glasgow, and while it may have technically been a ‘friendly’ rather than a competitive encounter, the manner in which the Northern Ireland international restricted the influence of O’Riley and Hatate in a hard-fought 0-0 draw is something that will obviously appeal to those on the other side of the city.
Rangers linked Isaac Price has already shone against Celtic
“I would have played Isaac anyway because he has trained really well in recent weeks,” then-Everton boss Frank Lampard told the Liverpool Echo at full-time.
“He's been playing well [with the Under-21s]. Then, Doucoure gets injured at half-time and we are playing wingers in midfield.
“But I suppose it gives an opportunity [to the youngsters]. And I thought Isaac Price was the best player on the pitch.”
Everton would lose the now £1.7 million-rated Price one year later down the line. He turned down the offer of a new contract in favour of a switch to Standard Liege in Belgium. A decision which drew comparisons with Jude Bellingham’s departure to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City.
There were shades of the Real Madrid superstar in the way Price scored the first hat-trick of his senior career back in October, too. Driving into the penalty area with devastating results during a 5-0 thrashing of Bulgaria, Price became the first player to hit a treble for the Northern Ireland since 2007.
Now, versatility is one of the key attributes that has endeared a number of managers to Price over the years. With Rangers seemingly prioritising tactically flexible operators such as Nedim Bajrami and Neraysho Kasanwirjo, that is likely to be a major factor driving their alleged interest too.
Price’s Northern Ireland hat-trick hints at his best role
Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neil feels that Price’s Bulgaria obliteration is proof that the 21-year-old belongs in a more advanced role, however. Something for Rangers to consider, then, if the Ibrox giants do get their mitts on an alleged long-time transfer target.
Isaac Price was linked with Rangers back in 2023 as well.
"I think Isaac is still probably finding his position a bit at club level,” O’Neill said, Price scoring more goals in one evening for his country than he has in 60 games for Standard Liege.
“He plays in a slightly different position [for Northern Ireland] and there are things in his game he knows he needs to improve. But he has real high quality and has demonstrated that over the period we have had him in the team.
"His finishes tonight… For him to be in the position to score takes a real willingness. He covered the ground brilliantly for the first two goals, and the third goal was a bit special."
Rangers were credited with an interest in Price again last week, via Belgian publication Walfoot. And while the legitimacy of those links has been called into question elsewhere, Clement and co certainly do appear to be after a midfielder with goalscoring potential.
Rangers are looking at NK Osijek ace Marco Soldo, RangersNews can exclusively confirm.
