Borna Barisic is one of the key players for Rangers (Getty Images)
As per Football Insider (h/t Glasgow Times), Leeds United are interested in signing Rangers star Borna Barisic in the summer.
Barisic, 27, flourished through the ranks of NK Osijek’s youth system and played for Dinamo Zagreb and NK Lokomotiva in Croatia before joining Rangers in August 2017. Though he struggled with a knee injury in his first season in Scotland, the Croatian has established himself as one of the key figures in Gerrard’s squad.
The former Zagreb man has been in sensational form for the Gers and is one of the best players in the squad. He has also been capped 12 times by Croatia and seems to be in the form of his life. Thus, Leeds should manage to secure his services at the earliest.
Marcelo Bielsa has done a stellar job so far with the Whites, helping them get promoted to the top-flight after a 16-year gap. They have been brilliant in the last two seasons but the manager needs to add depth to the squad if they are to sustain in the Premier League.
They aren’t a team with a huge squad and that could hamper their progress in further campaigns. Thus, bringing in reinforcements would definitely help the Championship winners do better at a higher level.
At the moment, there are three left-backs available at Bielsa’s disposal. Northern Ireland international Stuart Dallas has been the first-choice and he has been a crucial member of the squad, racking up 3 goals and 5 assists. The other two are Ezgjan Alioski and Barry Douglas.
Macedonia international Alioski has featured in an advanced role for the majority of the 2019/20 campaign. And former Wolves man Douglas has been used rarely. This leaves them with just one permanent player on the left side of the backline. Thus, to add competition within the squad, signing a left-back would be a wise decision.
In that regard, Barisic would be a viable option for the club. The Croatian is one of the best left-backs in the Scottish Premiership, helping his side at both ends of the pitch. He finished the 2019/20 campaign with 14 assists across all competitions and could be a key player for Leeds next season if he is able to continue with the same form.
The 27-year-old has been reliable at the back for Rangers in the last two seasons and his inclusion to Bielsa’s squad would bring healthy competition to Dallas for the left-back spot. This would give Gerrard a healthy headache when it comes to selection.
At 27, Barisic is in good nick and could provide Leeds with some much-needed depth at the back. And with Douglas having just a year left on his contract, bringing in the former Zagreb man could help them add cover for the next few years. Thus, they should lure the Croatian to Elland Road this summer.
