I’D WALK TO IBROX TOPLAY FOR BOSS
Croatian Katic on signing for Stevie G
STEVEN GERRARD will check in at Ibrox today as Rangers ramp up their transfer activity for the new boss.
The Light Blues sealed a four-year deal for Croat defender Nikola Katic yesterday as he revealed he was ready to run to Scotland after hearing of interest from Gerrard.
They will also complete the deal for £3.5million Brighton stopper Connor Goldson within the next 24 hours, clearing the way for him to join them on their training camp in the south of Spain next week.
Rangers have signed 6ft 4in Katic, capped once for Croatia last year, on a £2m deal from Slaven Belupo after he
jetted into Scotland to finalise personal terms.
Katic said: “When I was told Steven Gerrard wanted to sign me I told my agent I just needed to get my shoes and I would run to Scotland.
“He’s a legend of world football and I’m glad to be here with him. It’s a big pleasure to join Rangers who are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and the world. It’s a big step for me
“I can’t wait to play at Rangers. I’ve seen the stadium on television and I’ve read about the fans and the rivalry with Celtic.
“This is a big club, playing in a competitive league and also in European football. There are 50,000 fans in the stadium every week. It’s wonderful, a big step for me.
“I want to train hard every day and help Rangers make good results in Europe and win the Scottish Cup and the league.
“Rangers also need to be one of the top European clubs and I’ll try, with the other players, to move them to the top of European football again, the Champions League and everything else.”
A towering centre-half born in Ljubuski, Katic started his football career at HNK Stolac in Bosnia and Herzegovina before moving to Neretvanac in Opuzen,
Croatia, in 2014. In February 2016 he joined Slaven Belupo in the northern city of Koprivnica, a club that finished seventh in the Croatian First Football League in 2017-18.
A regular for the Croatian Under-21s, Katic made 34 appearances last season and for several games took on the responsibility of being captain in the absence of the experienced Vedran Puric.
He becomes the fourth Croat to play for Rangers, following Dado Prso, Nikica Jelavic and Niko Kranjcar.
Gerrard is expected at Ibrox this afternoon for a series of meetings with senior club figures before the players arrive back for pre-season training on Friday. And Katic will be part of the group that heads to warm weather training in southern Spain for 10 days early next week.