'Should be sold to Rangers': Club urged to let midfielder move to Ibrox this month
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It’s fair to say the reaction, as Rangers reportedly show an interest in bringing an experienced central midfielder to Ibrox, has been pretty mixed.
For some, CSKA Moscow should jump at the chance to cash in as Rangers consider taking Sasa Zdjelar to Ibrox.
For others, losing Zdjelar at this stage of the season – CSKA are sixth in the Russian Premier League but still within touching distance of the summit – would be nothing short of a ‘disaster’.
How the Moscow giants themselves feel about the situation, however, is what matters most. The Daily Mail reports that Rangers are rivalling clubs from Germany for the 29-year-old Serbian.
There is a chance – albeit a slim one – that a deal could be done without the payment of a transfer fee.
As the Russian conflict goes on in Ukraine, a FIFA ruling has allowed foreign players the opportunity to terminate their contracts and move for nothing. See, Manor Solomon’s switch from Shakhtar Donetsk to Tottenham Hotspur back in 2023.
Speaking to TASS a few months ago, however, Zdjelar admitted that he ‘would like to stay’ put at a club that has become his ‘home’. The nine-time Serbia international may take some luring away from CSKA, war or no war.
Yet, with his contract running until the summer, there is also a school of thought that CSKA should jump at the chance to sell now. Because, if a new deal cannot be reached for whatever reason, Zdjelar will be departing the VEB Arena for nothing anyway a few months down the line.
CSKA Moscow urged to let Rangers sign Sasa Zdjelar
“CSKA should probably sell Zdjelar to Rangers,” Aleksandr Tarkhanov, who coached the capital city club for two years in the 1990s, tells Championat.
“We need to think about whether he will help the team and whether it is worth extending his contract. This will be determined by the management of CSKA.
“But, for now, the ‘army men’ have the opportunity to make money on Zdjelar. And, if he does not want to extend the contract, Sasa should be sold to the Rangers. Zdjelar is not such a star that we should worry about his departure. There are many footballers of this level.”
Replacing an ageing defensive midfielder should be a little simpler than, for instance, a star centre-forward or a top-quality goalkeeper. Formerly of Olympiakos and Partizan Belgrade, Zdjelar has also started only 11 of a possible 18 Russian Premier League games in 2024/25.
Vladimir Ponomarev, a former CSKA player, does not share Tarkhanov’s rather blase approach to Zdjelar’s future however. He feels that the retaining the club’s number five could potentially be the difference between a respectable league finish and a disappointing one due to the work he does off the ball.
CSKA losing Serbia ace Zdjelar may be ‘a disaster’
“The Serb is a very good and reliable midfielder,” Ponomarev says. “And the Brazilian is also an excellent defender, a key player in the team. His departure could be a disaster.”
Zdjelar is not the only midfielder linked with a move to Ibrox.
RangersNews understands that Philippe Clement’s side are looking at NK Osijek youngster Marko Soldo. The Croatia Under 21 ace has blossomed in a new-look attacking role this season – scoring a career-best six goals and four assists – but his ability to play a more defensive-minded position will appeal to a manager who admires versatility.
Rangers like Varazdin ace Leon Belcar too. He appears highly unlikely to end up in Glasgow, however, after extending his contract this week.
