Why Lassana Coulibaly could be a surprise package for Rangers this season

The 2018/19 season has been full of ups and downs for numerous clubs but Rangers have made a decent start to life under new manager Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool icon brought in a plethora of new players in the summer transfer window and Lassana Coulibaly, 22, was one of them. The youngster joined the club on loan from Angers and it looks like he could be Rangers’ surprise package this term.

The midfielder not particularly well-known before his arrival but now, it looks like he could be a real match-winner for Rangers in the days to come.

Of course, he is recovering from a thigh injury right now and made a few appearances for the Gers prior to that. But once he returns, he has the potential to work wonders for the club. The likes of Ryan Jack and Connor Goldson have also been impressive but Coulibaly’s work rate and talent could be handy for the Scottish outfit.

But once he returns to full fitness, Coulibaly cannot afford to give into complacency. After all, Sean Goss’ dramatic decline in form should be a warning for him. Hence, he must aim to pick up from where left off and if he succeeds in doing so, Coulibaly could go on to become one of the breakthrough stars of the Scottish Premiership this season.

Although the Malian usually plays in the centre of the park, he is quite versatile. When placed in the midfield, Coulibaly often likes to get forward and contribute to the attack. But at the same time, he has sound defensive skills as well and if needed, he can be deployed as a true-blue defensive midfielder.

In the past, he has also played a couple of games at right-back. The Gers have a lot of depth right now but as the season progresses, Coulibaly could be an effective utility man.

Read More: Brendan Rodgers’ domination stands strong – three talking points as Celtic beat Rangers 1-0

The 22-year-old’s pace and physical strength help him adjust to different positions on the field. He is adept in one-on-one situations and often puts in a lot of work even when the ball is not at his feet. All in all, he has all the makings of a superstar but for now, Coulibaly must work towards regaining full fitness.