Rangers-linked wonderkid urged to choose La Liga switch, but he must reject Barcelona

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This would not be the first time Rangers have been linked with a promising young talent, only to see him end up at a bonafide European football powerhouse soon after.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst wanted Ian Maatsen at Ibrox shortly before he was starting a Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid.

Rangers missed out on Pablo Torre when he joined Barcelona from Racing Santander back in 2022, meanwhile.

Now, could Relebohile Mofokeng be joining Torre in the red and blue of the Blaugrana? Is lightning about to strike twice for Rangers, with Mofokeng and Torre going on to become Spanish football superstars and leaving their old Scottish-based suitors wondering what might have been?

According to South African publication snl24.com, Barcelona are watching Rele Mofokeng. The idea, reportedly, is to hand the 20-year-old winger a role with their B team before potentially stepping up to Hansi Flick’s first-team.

Barca’s alleged interest emerges, meanwhile, only six months after the Scottish Sun reported that Rangers were ‘closing in’ on Mofokeng.

• READ MORE:Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present

Rangers linked Relebohile Mofokeng warned off Barcelona move

The return of Oscar Cortes to Ibrox, plus the January addition of Nedim Bajrami and the revival of Ianis Hagi, means that the chances of Rangers renewing their interest in the New Year may look slim on paper.

But, from another perspective, Cortes remains injury hit, Bajrami prefers to play through the middle, and Hagi is yet to prove if his recent fightback is more than a false dawn. Perhaps it is not out of the question after all.

Benni McCarthy, one of South Africa’s greatest ever players, certainly feels that Mofokeng needs a ‘stepping stone’ sort of move at this stage of his career. Barcelona, the former Manchester United coach fears, would be too much too soon for a footballer who needs regular, senior minutes in order to continue his development.

"I think he [Mofokeng] needs to play. He needs to play,” McCarthy says in quotes reported by Goal. "I think a Portuguese League would be good, [as well as] La Liga teams where he's going to play and not sit on the bench.

"La Liga would suit him very nicely. He is not going to play [at Barcelona]. He must go to a place like (Real) Mallorca, or Athletic Bilbao. He must be in those kinds of teams. Celta Vigo would be a nice team for him as well. Espanyol… just a place where his talent won't be wasted.

"France might be also a good place for him because of the climate.”

McCarthy would not be drawn on those Rangers links. He does feel that English football would be a bit of an awkward fit for the diminutive wideman, however.

Given that the Scottish game tends to be similarly fast-paced and physical – even Amad Diallo struggled at times during his loan spell at Rangers – perhaps this is something Mofokeng would be best served placing on the backburner until he adds a bit of muscle.

"Maybe one day, if I coach in England and he's still young enough, I'll take him,” McCarthy adds. “England will be almost impossible right now.”

Mofokeng’s father thinks he would thrive at La Liga giants

Looking back at Barcelona, meanwhile, the South African Premiership’s 2024 Young Player of the Year has already been likened to three players with the Catalan giants on their CV.

Rele Mofokeng has been compared to Andres Iniesta due to his defence-splitting talents and his preference for drifting in off the left. His quick feet and powerful shooting has seen Mofokeng likened to Brazil legend Ronaldo too, while others feel he could blossom into a playmaker in Pedri’s ilk.

Sechaba Mofokeng, Rele’s father, was as surprised as anyone meanwhile when those Barca links emerged.

"To be honest, I was shocked when I first heard it. Rele and Barcelona! Those two things are on different planets in different worlds. But I said, ‘if you are doing well, good things will come to you’," he tells Soccer Laduma.

"If it happens that he gets a contract there, I will give him only three months [before] he is shining in the FC Barcelona team.

"I told him, if you are doing well, you will have more teams looking at you. But you have to do more. You haven't done anything yet. Just show them what you are made of.”