‘Decided To Put The Brakes On’ – Club Backed Off Beating Rangers To Gers New Boy | OneFootball

Euan Cherry/Getty Images

FC Copenhagen were ‘on the verge’ of securing the signature of Rangers new boy Vanja Dragojevic before former Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman decided to pull the plug on a deal for the midfielder.

The Gers secured the Serbian midfielder last month as part of Derek McInnes’ rebuilding project at Ibrox, landing him from Partizan Belgrade.

The Glasgow giants are believed to have paid around £4m to prise Dragojevic away, handing the midfielder a contract until 2030, with the agreement also containing an option to extend by a further year.

Despite his tender age, the Serbian captained Partizan Belgrade and established himself as an influential figure within the first-team dressing room, credentials that ultimately paved the way for his move to Ibrox.

It has now emerged that Rangers were far from the only club pursuing the midfielder this summer, with FC Copenhagen also chasing him and being ‘on the verge’ of the deal.

According to Danish outlet Bold, Speakman, who only arrived as Copenhagen’s director of football in June, ultimately ‘decided to put the brakes on’ the move after deciding Dragojevic was not a deal to rush into.

Instead, Speakman opted to reassess Copenhagen’s recruitment strategy, favouring a more measured, squad-driven approach to the market, a decision that ultimately brought negotiations for the Serbian to a halt.

That opened the door for Dragojevic to complete his move to Ibrox, where he is now preparing for the next chapter of his career in Rangers colours.

The midfielder, however, remained an unused substitute throughout McInnes’ opening Scottish Premiership fixture against Dundee United, a contest that ended in a draw.

Rangers now turn their attention to their Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia, where Dragojevic will be hoping to make his first competitive appearance for the Gers.

Meanwhile, the Glasgow giants continue to explore the market for further reinforcements, with Daisuke Yokota set to complete a move to Ibrox.

German side Hannover are making a quick profit by selling the Japanese and it has been lauded as good business.