Rangers Battle Sunderland For This 27-Year-Old’s Signing: The Right Man For Rohl’s Defensive Rebuild? | OneFootball

Rangers are being strongly linked with FC Metz right-back Koffi Kouao, according to a report from French outlet Media Foot, which says the Scottish Premiership club is the perfect platform for the Ivorian defender’s profile. Kouao, 27 years old, confirmed on social media earlier this week that he’s leaving Metz when his contract runs out at the end of the season, giving clubs across Europe a chance to snap him up for free. Rangers, alongside Sunderland and an unnamed Bundesliga side, are in talks, and the race for his signature is already heating up with only about three matches left in the French season.

Rangers eye Koffi Kouao as free-transfer option ahead of summer window

Kouao moved to Metz from Portuguese club Vizela in August 2022 and went on to make 113 appearances for the club, scoring 3 goals and providing 8 assists. This season, he contributed two goals and two assists across 28 matches in all competitions. His Ligue 1 stats show a reliable, high-energy full-back: he averages 2.7 tackles, 4.9 recoveries, and 5.4 duels won per game across 26 starts. Sunderland have been tracking Kouao since December and remain interested, so Danny Rohl’s side would need to act fast to beat Regis Le Bris’ side to his signature.

Is Kouao actually the right fit for Rangers’ defensive rebuild?

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 04: Rangers manager Danny Röhl is seen during the William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Kilmarnock at Ibrox Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Rohl arrived at Ibrox this season with the task of tightening a defence that had been shipping goals at an alarming rate, and the logic behind looking at a free transfer with Kouao’s profile makes sense on paper. His tackle and duel numbers show he’s a physical competitor, and four seasons of regular Ligue 1 football at a club battling relegation prove he can handle high-pressure situations. Those are exactly the kinds of qualities that should translate well for a squad still looking for consistency in the Scottish Premiership.

That said, the scouting report has some downsides. His possession won in the final third, just 0.3 per game, suggests he rarely helps win the ball back high up the pitch, which could be a problem if Rohl wants a dynamic, overlapping right-back who constantly joins the attack.

Kouao’s return of eight assists in 113 games is pretty low, and since Metz have struggled near the bottom this season, his stats have come against lower-level Ligue 1 teams rather than top European sides. Rangers need a player who can really improve the right flank, and Kouao, at his best, offers stability rather than flair. If Rohl wants defensive reliability on a free, Kouao is a smart, low-risk option. However, if the plan is to find an attack-minded full-back, the search should probably continue.