MARK WARBURTON, the Rangers manager, is confident Niko Kranjcar has the mentality to back up his ability after holding talks with the Ibrox-bound midfielder.
Kranjcar is set to put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal with Rangers and become the sixth signing of the summer following the acquisitions of Matt Crooks, Josh Windass, Jordan Rossiter, Joey Barton and Clint Hill. The Croatian looks likely to be followed into Ibrox by Matt Gilks, the former Blackpool and Burnley goalkeeper, after he spent time at Murray Park yesterday afternoon.
Read more: Niko Kranjcar touches down in Glasgow for Rangers medical
It is the capture of Kranjcar that will prove to be Warburton’s biggest deal of the day, though, as he prepares to complete a move from the New York Cosmos. Warburton spent time in America with the 31-year-old last month in a bid to persuade him to join Rangers and the conversation went exactly how the Englishman had hoped.
“You can go and interview someone for an hour and after five minutes you are sitting there with nothing more to be said,” Warburton said. “There is nothing coming back. But we had three hours in New York and we could have had six.
“We talked about football and systems of play and where he sees himself. We went through a, b and c and the fact is you can sit there and talk about football all night if it’s the right person.
“I had that with Joey, I had that with Clint, he came to see me at St George’s Park and right away you know it’s the right person. Likewise Niko. I was delighted with the desire and quality of question and I hope the Rangers fans enjoy seeing a player of that quality on the pitch.”
The deals to bring Kranjcar and Gilks to Rangers will tick another two boxes for Warburton as he continues to strengthen his squad for a shot at the Premiership title next term. Rangers will head to Charleston for a training camp on Monday ahead of their first competitive action against Motherwell in the Betfred Cup on Saturday, July 16.
The Ibrox boss will hope that his new recruits will quickly settle into life in Light Blue and he was keen to keep his title-winning stars from last season on side by ensuring he didn’t break the Gers’ wage structure this summer.
“You can’t do that or you will lose the dressing room,” said Warburton, speaking at the launch of a partnership between Rangers, East Dunbartonshire Council and Boclair Academy. “You can’t have one player on x and one on 10x. It doesn’t work that way. It’s about selling the club where we need to be, getting to the Champions league and that’s the project I sell to players. If they are hungry and driven then they’ll bite.
“If the club is successful in achieving its aims then the money naturally follows, if that makes sense. The club does benefit financially from success on the pitch – and so do the players.
Read more: Niko Kranjcar touches down in Glasgow for Rangers medical
“People have to buy into the idea and recognise the project. If they can do that with people like Joey and Jordan Rossiter then hopefully we can attract more of the same ilk.”
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