In a very, very sudden transfer, no sooner had Thelo Aasgaard been linked with a transfer to Anderlecht than the switch was confirmed. And Thelo Aasgaard exits Rangers.
If ever a Rangers player’s exit was fast, problem-free and smooth, it was the Norwegian’s departure to the Brussels giants.
It is of course a season-long loan, but if the former Luton Town man impresses, the Jupiler Pro League outfit will activate their option on him and make it permanent. The fee is around £6.5M.
Ibrox Noise is quite happy with this move.
Aasgaard, or ‘Wee Greta’ as many fans ourselves included, called him, was very much an average playmaker. He had some talent, as most 10s do, but his numbers were telling.
For goals in the Premiership he did not bad. He got 7, putting him 20th.
But his job was assists and playmaking. For assists he was 25th, with just 4 although other sources claim 3. Big chances created, 39th, with 5. 19 was top, and this came from James Tavernier.
For passes to assist, 0, joint 39th. This is the pass which leads to an assist from the recipient. Thelo did none of these.
He was dispossessed 28 times, putting him 27th. You don’t want to be high on this list. Unfortunately, he rather was.
And lastly for possession lost it was 236 times, placing him among the higher ‘losers’.
So… a mixed bag for Aasgaard as he exits Rangers.
His downfall was laziness. He didn’t work anywhere near hard enough, leaving it to others to graft while he just (tried) to create. Thelo had some nice touches on the ball, but his impact was overall minimal and he became better in his absence as Rangers got worse.
He is a nice enough guy, but Anderlecht is a far better fit for him than Rangers. Less demand, in a lower-claustrophobia league with a club whose expectations are not as high as the sheer pressure goldfish bowl of Glasgow.
Indeed, in the Jupiler Aasgaard may develop into the player he can’t at Ibrox, and never would.
Think Malik Tillman. It made a man of him, but it was at PSV he became the world class playmaker he is now.
We wish Thelo well, but we were never in favour of his signature in the first place.
Thelo Aasgaard exits Rangers, who could deny that already Kim Minsu is a titanic upgrade?