The center-half’s current employers don’t seem to have been too surprised by reports that Rangers could make a £2 million summer bid for one of the most sought-after young defenders in Eastern Europe.
Since a player of his calibre and potential is about to enter the open market and has a £2 million release clause that will activate in the next few months, interest is understandable given that he is out of contract in less than a year.
Rangers won’t get a free pass to target him, for sure.
According to HITC Football, scouts from Fulham, Burnley, Wolves, and Leicester City have also visited the Austrian team Rapid Vienna this season to observe Leopold Querfeld in action. Celtic, Rangers’ Old Firm rivals, have also done so.
Rangers in race for Leo Querfeld
Markus Katzer, the sporting director of Rapid, tells Kurier, “I expect a lot of interest from foreign clubs.” His predictions seem especially foresighted because Oliver Glasner, the Austrian head coach who is currently at Crystal Palace, also has control over the gifted defender with mop hair and his midfield partner Matthias Seidl.
It is more a matter of “when” than “if” Querfeld departs this summer. and “where” he goes after that.
The 20-year-old has been “the most stable and the best” defender on the Rapid Vienna team this season, according to Austrian reporter Peter Linden’s blog.
According to Linden, “Querfeld can opt out of the contract after this season if a foreign club pays a transfer fee of 2.5 million euros for him.”
Gers can score a $2 million deal.
Rangers might think Querfeld is a £2 million opportunity too good to pass up, given that the veteran Connor Goldson is not getting any younger and that errors are starting to appear in his play.
It appears that Rapid Vienna feels the same way about a different young Austrian. An 18-year-old who, should Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen decide to cash in on a player who captains their team at the under-19 level, may potentially replace Querfeld at Rapid.
Katzer continues, “(Filip) Milojevic is a very interesting player.” “And an outstanding defensive player.”
In July, Milojevic will be available as a free agent. Furthermore, his departure from Bayer Leverkusen may be the first stone to fall in Rangers’ quest to find a defender who can fill Goldson’s Ibrox shoes.
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