NafisaRangers appear to be edging ever closer to completing another major piece of summer business after Partizan Belgrade manager Sasa Ilic effectively confirmed that captain Vanja Dragojevic is on his way to Ibrox.
Derek McInnes has already overseen an aggressive rebuild since taking charge, bringing in Lawrence Shankland, Dan Neil, Cammy Devlin, Ben Godfrey, Ross McCrorie and Ivor Pandur as Rangers look to bounce back from a disappointing campaign.
Now, all signs point towards Dragojevic becoming the club’s seventh signing of the summer.
The Rangers Review recently revealed that the Light Blues are closing in on an agreement for the highly-rated 20-year-old midfielder, with negotiations reaching the final stages.
While Rangers are yet to officially announce the deal, Partizan manager Sasa Ilic has now delivered what many supporters will see as the clearest indication yet that the move is virtually complete.
Speaking about the Serbian international, Ilic admitted his side are already preparing for life without their influential skipper.
“Our previous captain Vanja has now left us and I wish him all the best in his future career.
“Every coach in the world wants as many quality players as possible to increase the competition, but it depends on the possibilities and certain things within the club.
“I hope that we will bring in a few more names who will bring extra class, which is much needed after his departure.
“We have already signed four new players, but it is clear we will need some more new players now.
“Partizan works in such a way that we are dependent on selling players due to our financial issues.”
Those comments strongly suggest the Serbian giants have accepted Dragojevic’s exit, with Rangers expected to complete the remaining formalities before unveiling the midfielder.
Despite being only 20, Dragojevic has already established himself as one of Serbian football’s brightest young talents. Trusted with the captain’s armband at Partizan, he has earned a reputation for his leadership, composure in possession and defensive intelligence beyond his years.
McInnes has made strengthening the midfield one of his biggest priorities this summer, particularly with continued uncertainty surrounding the futures of Nicolas Raskin and Connor Barron following growing interest from clubs across Europe.
Dragojevic’s arrival would give Rangers another energetic and technically gifted option in the middle of the park while also representing a significant investment in the club’s future.
With Partizan’s own manager now publicly wishing his captain well, Rangers supporters will believe it’s only a matter of time before the club officially welcomes another exciting addition to Ibrox as McInnes’ squad rebuild gathers even more momentum.
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