Liverpool defensive target Giovanni Leoni Credit: Imago
Rangers are exploring a significant defensive overhaul this summer, with manager Danny Rohl reportedly eyeing moves for two Swedish players ahead of next season.
Reports have linked the club with Casper Widell and Hampus Skoglund, with Swedish outlet Expressen claiming talks with Widell are ramping up following initial interest earlier this week.
Widell, 23, captained Dutch side Excelsior last season and played every single minute in the Eredivisie, demonstrating his durability and importance to the club.
The central defender is also a former Sweden U21 international, and it is now reported that his former youth teammate Hampus Skoglund could follow him to Rangers.
Rangers News has claimed there has been “direct contact” between Rangers and Skoglund’s representatives as Rohl looks to fill gaps left by departed loanees.
Skoglund is contracted at Hammarby until December 2029, and his club are reportedly reluctant to lose one of their key defensive assets this summer.
Rangers have seen loanees Nasser Djiga, Derek Cornelius, Max Aarons, and Jayden Meghoma all return to their parent clubs, leaving the squad stretched at the back.
The right-back position is also a concern, with long-serving captain James Tavernier gone and injury-prone Dujon Sterling the current option in that role.
Elsewhere, Football League World reports that Rangers are showing interest in Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who has attracted attention from several clubs.
The 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall, where he registered seven clean sheets across 16 appearances as his loan club reached the playoffs.
Patterson, a former England U21 international, is believed to carry a price tag of around £8m, with Millwall, Wolves, and Wrexham also reportedly pursuing the goalkeeper.
Rangers currently have Jack Butland and Liam Kelly as senior goalkeeping options, though the club has also been linked with Sheffield Wednesday’s Pierce Charles in recent weeks.
It does appear that Rohl is actively seeking genuine competition for Butland’s number one shirt, as the club strengthens across multiple positions ahead of the new campaign.
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