Borna Barisic’s future at Rangers is uncertain, and Dinamo Zagreb could benefit from Nottingham Forest’s failure to pursue the defender.
The left-back joined Steven Gerrard’s side from Prva Liga side Osijek in 2018, and he’s been a first-team player under four different managers, starting 203 games in all competitions and scoring nine goals. However, with Ridvan Yilmaz contracted for the future and performances decreasing during Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale’s tenures, it appears that he will leave soon.
Earlier this week, reports connected him to a move to Forest, and recent reports suggest that a deal may be a ‘formality’. According to Croatian publication Nogometne Vijesti, Barisic is being pursued by both Dinamo Zagreb and Nottingham Forest, though Premier League money have put the former European Cup winners ahead in the hunt for his signature. However, it is understood that the Midlands club is not interested, leaving the door open for Dinamo.
That was in the summer, but a deal back to his homeland didn’t materialise despite links towards the end of the window, which would’ve left the relatively inexperienced duo of Ridvan Yilmaz and Adam Devine in the left-back department at the club.
A bid was touted for the January window, but reports in the past week have stated that Forest have entered the race for his signature. Steve Cooper’s side do boast Harry Toffolo, Nuno Tavares and Ola Aina who can all play on the left-hand side, but Toffolo has been given a five-month suspended sentence for gambling charges – and Barisic could come in if that is activated.
It’s thought that Rangers hope to agree a deal with Barisic to end any speculation, whilst there has been the bizarre possibility of the Light Blues agreeing a deal but still selling the Croatian so that they don’t end up empty handed. But Nogometne Vijesti claim that Zagreb haven’t given up hope of signing him with the winder just over two months away.
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