Football

Ryan Naderi: Rangers sign striker from Hansa Rostock on Deadline Day as club seal fourth January arrival

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Ryan Naderi: Rangers sign striker from Hansa Rostock on Deadline Day as club seal fourth January arrival

Danny Röhl claims Rangers' Deadline Day signing Ryan Naderi has been favourably compared to past and present Germany stars Fredi Bobic and Nick Woltemade.

The 22-year-old signed on Monday from Hansa Rostock in a £4.7m deal, just a day after Rangers had initially agreed a £3m move to land the striker in the summer.

Following further talks with the German third division club - who didn't want to sell the player who has eight goals and five assists this season - a move was agreed on the final day of the January window.

Former Borussia Dortmund, Hannover 96 and Hertha BSC striker Bobic won 37 caps for Germany and was part of the Euro 1996 winning squad.

Newcastle striker Woltemade, 23, who is capped eight times by Germany, cost the Premier League club a reported £65m, plus £4.3m in potential add-ons, when he signed from Stuttgart last summer.

Naderi could feature in the Scottish Premiership game against Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Wednesday night, where third-placed Rangers hope to keep the pressure on Celtic and leaders Hearts.

German coach Röhl said: "I spoke today with some coaches from Germany and received many messages saying, 'Congratulations on a good signing'.

"They compare him with - hopefully I don't make him too big now - but they compare him between former player Fredi Bobic and Woltemade.

"If you can bring him on this level here, we will have a lot of fun with him. He's really smart.

"(It's) Important that we now give him an environment and this is the big difference between maybe October and now where you have a group, they are going together and they can allow players in to make the next step.

"In October a lot of players were not self-confident, had a lot of problems with themselves and now you think more and more players are ready to help other players.

"And we have some great examples now of players going in the right direction. It's the reason why I'm very convinced he will help us."

Naderi is Röhl's fourth January arrival, following deals for winger Andreas Skov Olsen on loan, plus permanent moves for midfielder Tochi Chukuwani and left-back Tuur Rommens.

Rohl believes his time with Hansa Rostock will set him up for life at Ibrox.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss said: "The good thing is that he played a lot of minutes in the last couple of weeks.

"The big question mark always in January, some players need two, three weeks to come to the point and we know this - and he played on the weekend, 90 minutes.

"This is fantastic, because it gives me a straight opportunity to put him on.

"Tomorrow we will see, we have to do some documents. If everything is sorted, then it should not be a question mark that he is available.

"When I was talking to him, I felt the fire straight away and the good thing is, I know Hansa Rostock a little bit better than you.

"You have 25,000, 30,000 crazy fans and that helps to prepare him for our place and this is what I like to see."

Speaking to the club's website after signing a long-term deal at Ibrox, Naderi said: "I am really pleased that this move has happened.

"Now I am here, I plan to make the most of this opportunity. Rangers are a world-renowned club who have a history of winning silverware and that's what I am here to achieve.

"I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates, all of the staff and the supporters in the days and weeks ahead.

"I am ready to get started and I hope to have a positive impact on the team for the rest of the season."

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