Filip Helander has poured cold water over a move south without actually ruling it out, after admitting it wasn’t a goal.
The Swede, arguably the best defender in the league, will go to the Euros fresh off 55 and the stopper is certainly in good spirits, even if he has fitness issues associated with leg pain.
But when asked about his future plans he was cryptic and said:
“I have not set any goals to play in England. Obviously, as a football player, you want to get as high up as possible in your career, but that is not something I have thought about at all.”
This is not overly reassuring in truth. He’s pretty clear – he is ambitious, and the top of the club game, aside the CL of course, is the PL, and that’s where every player wants to ply their trade, with the exception of Barca and Real.
He’s not set an outright goal to go to England, but he gets around that statement by admitting his target is to keep getting higher in the sport, and the SPL clearly does not fit that.
“I wanted to come to Rangers because it was a big and nice club and try to win something there. It is difficult to plan too far ahead, you have to try to take one season at a time. For me, Rangers are a bit like Malmo, only bigger. You have to win. I’ve had a fantastic season. We broke all kinds of records like clean sheets and the number of goals conceded.”
Rangers, again, more than satisfy the demands of big players but the league we play in far from does. It’s merciful that we have a shot at the CL because that could well be a major carrot for guys like Helander to stay, but Leicester and Villa, the main two clubs credited with interest, will tempt him should they make an offer.
We’ll see.