So now Rangers have to find a left winger worthy of replacing Ryan Kent, and while finding the right man isn’t going to be easy, one suggestion from Ibrox Noise would be 24-year-old Danish and Sweden-based NEC Nijmegen attacker Magnus Mattsson.
Both an attacking midfielder and a left winger, the Nijmegen star has been heavily involved with the Eredivisie this season, amassing 25 appearances and securing 4 goals and 2 assists at a level much higher than the Scottish Premiership for a side currently 11th in the table.
While we’re not claiming the lad is the next coming of Laudrup, nevertheless he’s been a solid performer for NEC the last two seasons, and has consistently delivered for his Dutch employer, albeit he’s played in his weaker slot of attacking midfield as much as he has on the left wing.
On the left wing, his best position, his career stats are excellent: 27 goals and 8 assists in 61 appearances, both in the Dutch top flight and the Danish equivalent, so the boy knows how to handle that position for sure.
He’s currently under contract, but hasn’t quite exploded into the spotlight of European football’s big leagues and sides, and his market value is barely £1M.
But his CV is solid, and with Rangers needing to find a good replacement for Kent, this lad could be one option.
Indeed, Ibrox Noise is not the first Rangers site to notice Mattson – Edinburgh-based journalist Patrick Caskie spoke to Vital Rangers some time ago about the boy, who was lavish in his praise on him:
“With Mattsson, I’ve been aware of him for a few years and his team was relegated last season. With Silkeborg in the second tier of Danish football this season, I wanted to check on him and see how he was getting on playing in a competition that he should dominate, and he has. He is exciting, dynamic and can fill in at multiple positions. If Silkeborg fail to make it out of the NordicBet Liga, Mattsson could force a move out to play at the next level, and I think Rangers could be a smart move for both parties.”
That was two years ago, and 24 months on he hasn’t quite hit the level of exposure that was maybe expected, and his value has remained modest. He’s one of these untapped gems that is clearly a lot better than his current position hints, and he could well be a strong option at a modest cost if Rangers were to make the move for him.
Might be worth a shot?