Thomas Galdames is the name on everyone’s lips at Rangers at the moment.
Almost as quickly as those high-profile links to Jose Cordoba were shot down, the Gers were being mentioned alongside the 25-year-old Chilean defender.
Currently plying his trade in Argentina, Rangers are said to be battling ‘teams in Belgium’ for the signature of Thomas Galdames this summer.
Having made Chile’s provisional Copa America squad Galdames is said to be lining up his final game for current club Godoy Cruz this week.
Traditionally a left-back for the Argentines, the links to the versatile defender have sparked some debate surrounding the position Galdames would play should he move to Ibrox.
But some fresh contract news coming out of the club has dropped the biggest yet that Rangers probably want to utilise the 6ft Chilean a little more centrally.
Rangers line up two-year left back deal
The links to Thomas Galdames have come at an interesting time for the left-back area in the Rangers squad.
The perennially injured Ridvan Yilmaz has finally begun to show Rangers fans flashes of what he can offer in the position.
Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen have also just added Brazilian option Jefte to the club’s ranks at the same time as Croatian veteran Borna Barisic is primed for a switch to Turkey.
It means that Rangers already have two senior options in the position and that’s not including one youth star we got an impressive glimpse of before the curtain came down on the campaign.
Robbie Fraser earned his first Rangers minutes when he came off the bench for the club in the 4-1 win over Dundee at Ibrox.
Now, according to the Rangers Review, the 21-year-old is all set to sign a two-year extension at Ibrox with the intention of tying to further breakthrough into the first-team next season.
Galdames to be Rangers’ new centre-back?
Whilst the report admits that there could be interest in Ridvan Yilmaz – who was linked to Galatasaray in January – we doubt Thomas Galdames is being signed to be one of four to play at left-back.
As things stand there is no interest in Yilmaz, and Rangers are clearly on the hunt for a left-sided central defender.
Such a positional shift may well suit Galdames too, with the left-back boasting more attacking qualities that could be useful stepping up from the backline.
We’re pretty sure Philippe Clement will be happy just to add a versatile and reliable left-sided defender to his squad.
But will not know how the Rangers manager intends to utilise the centre-back unless he goes out and signs Galdames this summer.
