Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has been in a hurry to revitalise the Ibrox side, especially with his activity in both the January and summer transfer markets.
In total, the Englishman has signed ten players and this freshness about the squad, given the likes of Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield have left, along with Antonio Colak, suggests they could be in a perfect position to challenge Celtic for domestic honours.
There may well be one or two more signings to arrive over the next few weeks, and could Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic be a potential wildcard option?
Could Rangers sign Nikola Krstovic?
Despite recently signing main target Danilo from Feyenoord, Beale will want to pad out his attacking options as much as possible, especially with a hectic schedule awaiting them over the coming months.
Krstovic was linked earlier this year with a move to the Gers, although his club had placed a £5m valuation on his head.
With Rangers selling Colak for £2.5m and potentially moving on Glen Kamara for £5m, there could be a few others who could raise funds by moving on and Beale may have some more money to spend.
How good is Nikola Krstovic?
Having signed Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in January, Beale rejuvenated a stagnant midfield which lacked any sort of dynamism.
Cantwell was particularly impressive since joining from Norwich City, eventually registering 11 goal contributions – six goals and five assists – in just 20 matches.
The English maestro also showed off his attacking abilities by creating five big chances and averaging 1.3 key passes per game, ranking him sixth and eighth across the whole squad, made even more impressive by the fact he only joined midway through the season.
These talents in the final third could stand Krstovic in good stead, especially with his ruthlessness in front of goal.
Indeed, the 23-year-old has been dubbed “clinical” by journalist Josh Bunting, and he could certainly add more goals to this Rangers side.
For Dunajska Streda last season, the hitman scored 26 goals and grabbed four assists, a total which would have outscored every single Rangers player last term by some distance.
James Tavernier and Colak were the joint-highest scoring players during 2022/23, netting 18 times each, and it suggests Krstovic could be a solid addition.
Not only that, but the striker also scored once every 117 minutes in the league for his club side, while he has also made nine appearances for his country and enjoyed some solid performances in the qualifiers for the 2024 European Championships.
Against Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary, he averaged 2.7 shots per game along with making 1.3 key passes per game and these attacking attributes could certainly be displayed in Scotland.
With Cantwell sitting behind him, creating plenty of chances, the duo could certainly form a wonderful partnership that would benefit both parties.
The Englishman would get to notch more assists, while Krstovic could become a focal point of the Gers attack.
Although Danilo signing on the dotted line might mean Beale is finished with bolstering his attack, he should keep an eye on the 23-year-old ahead of the coming season.
