Wolves and Rangers are advancing in talks to complete what could be a perfect transfer.
Rangers are in advanced talks to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Nasser Djiga on a season-long loan.
The Old Gold only signed Djiga in February in a £10 million deal from Red Star Belgrade but he’s yet to adapt to the pace of the Premier League. Vitor Pereira still has great belief in Djiga and feels a loan away is the best option to aid his development.
Our sister publication, the Express & Star, has exclusively revealed that Scottish Premiership giants Rangers are in pole position to sign Djiga. The Glaswegians are negotiating with Wolves over the terms of the deal but are expected to bring Djiga to the Ibrox Stadium for the duration of the 2025/26 campaign.
Wanderers believe a loan to a British club is the best option to try and help Djiga adapt. Rangers have also offered assurances that the Burkina Faso international will be a regular starter, something Wolves see as a non-negotiable for such a loan move.
How will Djiga fit in at Rangers?
Quick, strong in one-v-ones, composed in possession and a real threat in both boxes, Djiga should be a shrewd addition for Rangers. Once the 22-year-old has had a good pre-season, he should be ready to start alongside John Souttar in a centre-back pairing, though Robin Propper is bound to be vying for starts himself.
New signing Emmanuel Fernandez from Peterborough United will be eager to make a good impression but is unlikely to get ahead of Djiga or Propper in the pecking order immediately. Meanwhile, veteran centre-half Leon Balogun has left for Aris Limassol on a free transfer, Rafael Fernandes has returned to LOSC Lille after his loan and Clinton Nsiala and Leon King are both on the fringes, making their respective breakthroughs.
Although Djiga has only played 151 minutes for Wolves across the FA Cup and Premier League, the Burkinabe has been gradually adjusting to life in England. His one and only start in the top flight was cut short at half time in a 4-2 defeat away at Crystal Palace but that doesn’t necessarily mean his move to Wolves has been a failure.
Some young players coming from European leagues can take longer to adapt than others and Pereira has been erring on the side of caution, keen not to throw his new defender in at the deep end. If Djiga does complete his loan move to Rangers, it could be the perfect deal for all parties as he will help the Scottish club’s title prospects all while improving as a player for Wolves to utilise later down the line.
Nelson Semedo situation still undecided
In other Wolves news, captain Nelson Semedo is now officially out of contract but his future is still uncertain. Birmingham World understands Wanderers have offered the right-back a generous four-year deal that he’s still yet to turn down or accept.
As it stands, it seems more likely that Semedo will leave than stay as there’s widespread interest across Europe, including from Turkey, Spain and Portugal. It’s understood that Semedo has filmed a farewell video in preparation for a potential departure, but nothing is final at this moment.
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