Why Rangers should attempt to sign Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella

According to the Transfer Window Podcast (h/t Daily Record), Rangers are keen on signing Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella, who is out of contract this summer.

The 22-year-old came through the youth ranks at Valencia before joining the Liverpool youth setup in 2013. Chirivella made his first-team debut in September 2015 and has since gone on to make ten more appearances.

Between then and now, the Spaniard has had loan spells at Go Ahead Eagles, Willem II in the Netherlands and Spanish outfit Extremadura. He has also racked up 62 appearances for the Reds’ reserve team, scoring two goals and assisting seven more.

Rangers, meanwhile, have once again fallen short of league leaders Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premiership. Under Steven Gerrard, the Gers have built a formidable team and had started the season strongly. But they could not maintain the same level in the latter stages of the season and are now 13 points behind the Hoops.

The Light Blues also lost the Scottish League Cup final against Celtic and have also been knocked out of the Scottish FA Cup. They are also on the verge of getting knocked out of the UEFA Europa League as well.

Having failed to win a trophy under Gerrard yet, Rangers should look to further reinforce their squad in the summer transfer window. And the defensive midfield department is somewhere the Scottish giants should look to strength ahead of the next season.

Glen Kamara has been a top performer in the holding midfield role, but Steven Davis, at 35 years old, is in the final years of his career and needs to be phased out of the first-team picture slowly. In addition, Scott Arfield is also on the wrong side of the thirties, while Andy Halliday will be out of contract at the end of the season.

Therefore, it would make sense for Rangers to bolster their central midfield department in the summer window. And to that end, Chirivella represents a handy option for the Ibrox club.

The 22-year-old may have made just 11 first-team appearances for Liverpool, in which he has an assist. But he has been a regular for reserves and has been impressive. In the ongoing season, he has made 12 appearances in the Premier League 2, contributing with a goal and two assists.

Furthermore, Chirivella is someone Gerrard knows well, having worked with the youngster during his time as the Reds’ youth team coach. The Spanish midfielder’s addition would inject some young blood in an ageing midfield department. In addition, he would be providing some much-needed depth in the middle of the park.

Read More

• Why Rangers should make a move for Ryan Babel
• Why Rangers must not let go of Glen Kamara
• Opinion: Why John Fleck to Rangers would boost their midfield

Verdict

Rangers need to add depth and quality to their midfield department, especially with Steven Davis entering the final phase of his career. And signing Chirivella would address that. The Spaniard is someone Gerrard has worked with previously and knows what he will offer. Moreover, he would cost the club nothing in transfer fee, making him an attractive signing.