Glasgow Rangers are eyeing up a summer move for talented Romanian midfielder Darius Olaru as Michael Beale continues to work on improving his squad at Ibrox.
What’s the latest on Olaru to Rangers?
According to Pro Sport, the Premiership giants have sent scouts to Romania as they take a step closer to pursuing a deal to sign the midfielder. The 24-year-old will be watched over the coming weeks, and a final decision regarding interest will be made then.
The report states that FCSB are looking for between €6m and €8m (£5.3m-£7m), although the higher fee could be slightly out of Rangers’ price range.
The Ibrox club have been linked with the player since last summer, and it certainly looks like a decision will be made sooner rather than later regarding a potential summer move, with Ross Wilson looking to sign another highly-rated player.
Can Olaru become Beale’s next Ianis Hagi at Rangers?
The Romanian dynamo has impressed recently at FCSB. Last season, he played 36 league matches and scored six goals while registering ten assists from a central midfield role, which suggests that his attacking abilities could add a more forward-thinking dimension to the Gers’ midfield compared to John Lundstram and Ryan Jack, who scored one and zero league goals respectively in 2021/22.
Olaru has kept his best performances for the Europa Conference League (ECL) this season, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.1/10 across six appearances while registering one assist and creating three big chances, averaging 1.8 key passes and 40.4 touches per game.
Not just content with adding an extra attacking spark to his team, the midfielder also demonstrated his defensive talents in the ECL group stage. He made 1.8 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game while winning 66% of his total duels, clearly showcasing his all-round ability, and these attributes could be of great use to Beale as he looks to re-energise his midfield options at Rangers.
Indeed, the 24-year-old – who was dubbed “exciting” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – can become Beale’s next Ianis Hagi and flourish at Ibrox.
Although Hagi plays in a slightly more advanced position, both players’ qualities going forward could see Beale create a wonderful duo. The current Gers ace has scored 15 goals and grabbed 21 assists during his time in Glasgow, and he is just battling back from a serious injury sustained in January 2022.
It took a while for Hagi to settle in Glasgow, but he really came to the fore during the Premiership-winning campaign of 2020/21. That season, he registered 18 goal contributions (seven goals and 11 assists) along with creating six big chances and averaging 1.8 shots per game as he proved to Steven Gerrard that signing him on a permanent deal was a wise move.
Both players are just 24 years old and still have a couple of years left before hitting their prime. Signing Olaru should definitely be a no-brainer for Beale, although the potential £7m fee could prove to be a snag in any future deal, so Wilson must work his negotiating magic to lure him to Glasgow.