Rangers are closely monitoring Club Brugge right-back Hugo Siquet, according to Foot Mercato, with the 24-year-old Belgian emerging as a potential option for Derek McInnes.
Siquet made 42 appearances for Club Brugge last season and has established himself as an attack-minded full-back, with previous coaches particularly impressed by his technical ability, crossing and contribution in the final third.
Those qualities could make him an interesting option for Rangers as they look beyond now-departed former captain James Tavernier.
Rangers strengthened the right-back position this summer by signing Ross McCrorie, while Dujon Sterling also remains an option for McInnes.
However, Siquet would offer a different profile and could potentially be viewed as the long-term replacement for Tavernier, who has been a hugely influential attacking presence from right-back during his decade long Rangers career.
There are already parallels with the way Rangers have addressed the opposite flank.
Fellow Belgian Tuur Rommens has established himself as the club's first choice left-back, and Siquet's profile would potentially give McInnes an attacking right-back capable of providing a similar threat on the opposite side.
And the comments from coaches who have previously worked with Siquet offer an insight into why Rangers could be interested.
Nicky Hayen: "He has a brilliant foot"
Siquet's performances earned him a first senior Belgium call-up from Domenico Tedesco in September 2023, making his first and so far only appearance for his country against Estonia.
"He is a full-back, a position where we are a bit short. He performs very well with Cercle, and I also find that he played an excellent Euro U21 campaign," the then-Belgium boss said.
Former Brugge boss Nicky Hayen also praised his attacking output last season, during links to Celtic.
"He has a brilliant foot," Hayen said.
"He is able to be dangerous with the last pass from every position. From outside but also from inside.
"Beautiful crosses, good set pieces. And I think a good mentality."
Hayen's assessment is particularly relevant to Rangers given the attacking responsibility traditionally placed on Tavernier.
Siquet's ability to deliver crosses from advanced positions and contribute to set pieces would give Rangers another source of creativity from the right.
Streich identified the defensive challenge
Siquet's attacking qualities have been evident throughout his career, but former Freiburg manager Christian Streich also identified an area of his game that required development.
Streich praised the Belgian's ability to operate up and down the flank and his quality on the ball, while making it clear that his defensive game needed work.
"He gets up and down and is a good footballer," Streich said.
"Now we need him to work on his play without the ball and his tackling."
It is an important part of the scouting picture for Rangers.
Siquet would not be arriving simply as a replacement for Tavernier's name or shirt number. He would potentially be asked to replicate some of the attacking responsibility that came with Tavernier's role while continuing to develop the defensive side of his game.
Why Rangers could be interested
McCrorie gives Rangers a more defensive and versatile option at right-back, while Sterling can operate in the position and across the defensive line.
Siquet would potentially give the manager something different.
His attacking instincts, crossing ability and willingness to advance would make him a natural fit for a Rangers side that wants its full backs to contribute heavily in the final third.
The potential idea would be to create a balanced pair of attacking full backs, with Rommens providing the threat from the left and Siquet doing the same from the right.
That would represent a significant change from simply replacing Tavernier positionally.
It would be an attempt to replace the attacking output and influence that Rangers have lost from the right flank.
At present, Rangers' interest remains at the monitoring stage.
But the words of two experienced coaches who have worked with Siquet offer a useful insight into the qualities that have attracted attention.
Hayen saw a player with an excellent delivery, set-piece ability and mentality.
Streich saw a technically gifted full back who still needed to develop defensively.
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