Rangers ‘not planning’ to loan out star despite minutes issues as signing still seen as part of the furniture

Rangers aren’t planning on loaning out midfielder Vanja Dragojevic despite his recent lack of minutes in the team.

The 20-year old was signed in the summer for £4.5m from Partizan Belgrade and showed some initial signs of promise at Ibrox. However, he hasn’t seen as much playing action as he’d like recently, featuring in only two of Rangers’ 12 Premiership matches this season.

Despite his young age, the Serbian was club captain of his former side, but his leadership qualities haven’t shone through at Ibrox as yet. Stand-in skipper Dan Neill and Belgian international Nico Raskin have had the midfield locked down for the past few months, with few other playmakers getting a look in.

Rangers ‘not planning’ to loan out Dragojevic

The midfielder wasn’t signed for a seven-figure fee to sit on the bench every week, causing rumours that Rangers would be willing to farm him out somewhere he can acquire minutes. However, according to Football Insider, Dragojevic remains part of the plans at Ibrox.

They claim: “Rangers are not planning to send midfielder Vanja Dragojevic out on loan in January. The 20-year-old has suffered from a severe lack of football of late, but is still viewed as an important part of the project at Ibrox.”

Now in the Serbian National Team camp, Dragojevic was asked about his struggles for minutes in Glasgow. The youngster naturally wants to play every week, but is realistic about his chances of breaking into the starting XI with the levels of competition for places. He also claimed he had no regrets about moving to Scotland in the summer.

What has Dragojevic said about his Rangers career so far?

He said: “It was the right move. Rangers is a club with a championship mentality, always looking to win. The fans have welcomed me and I’m glad they recognised my desire and energy, which is similar to the energy of the club. I couldn’t believe how many messages of support I received telling me to bide my time, that it would come, to be patient.

“It was fascinating to me how much a fan wanted to help a player continue to believe in himself. They love the club and the football so much and really push Rangers forward. I believe that everything happens for a reason, that everything will work out. I need to be patient and, when the opportunity comes, be as ready as possible.

“It’s up to us to give our best every day. Glasgow is a very beautiful city, and everywhere in Scotland you can feel how much they care about tradition. It’s the same at Rangers. From day one they made sure I felt like I had been there for a long time, that I learned things about the club and how proud they are of their history. The more time I spend there, the more I feel the club. There is a special energy and they take great care to ensure every player connects with Rangers, to develop an emotion.”

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