Rangers Risk £4m Transfer Blunder as Vanja Dragojevic Struggles to Make an Impact at Ibrox

Rangers may already have a costly recruitment problem on their hands, with summer signing Vanja Dragojevic struggling for regular first-team opportunities under Derek McInnes.

The Serbian midfielder arrived at Ibrox from Partizan for a reported £4 million fee during the summer transfer window, but his lack of involvement in the Scottish Premiership has raised questions about whether the Light Blues have received value for their investment.

Cammy Devlin has also endured a difficult start to life at Rangers, although his situation is somewhat different given that the Australian midfielder joined on a free transfer from Hearts.

Dragojevic, by comparison, arrived with a significant price tag and expectations that he could develop into an important figure in the middle of the park. So far, however, the 20-year-old has struggled to convince McInnes that he deserves a regular place in the starting XI.

Devlin’s injury is unlikely to derail Rangers

McInnes recently confirmed that Devlin faces an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Celtic before the international break.

The Australia international is expected to miss approximately six more weeks, potentially keeping him out until the end of November or the beginning of December.

His absence could leave Rangers without an experienced midfield option for several important fixtures, but his performances before the injury had not always been convincing.

Devlin started four of his six Scottish Premiership appearances this season, yet his contribution in possession has been limited. His league statistics placed him towards the lower end of several attacking and creative categories among central midfielders, including shots, chances created, expected assists and successful dribbles.

The former Hearts player has still offered valuable defensive work, averaging 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game. Nevertheless, Rangers have sometimes lacked the quality and creativity required to turn possession into meaningful attacking opportunities.

The 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox demonstrated that McInnes has other options available to him in midfield, although a single result does not establish how much Devlin’s absence will affect the team over a longer period.

Dragojevic is struggling to justify his £4m price tag

While Devlin’s injury has attracted attention, Dragojevic’s situation presents a potentially more significant concern for Rangers’ recruitment department.

The Serbian youngster joined from Partizan after captaining his former club despite his age, arriving with a reputation as a promising midfield prospect.

There were early signs of his potential when he scored during Rangers’ 5-1 League Cup victory over St Mirren. However, that contribution has not translated into a sustained run of first-team football.

Since finding the net against St Mirren, Dragojevic has featured in only three further matches for Rangers across all competitions, according to the figures provided. More concerningly, he has made just one appearance in the Premiership this season.

That outing came against Hibernian at Ibrox, where he played the opening 45 minutes of a 2-1 defeat before being replaced by Mohamed Diomande at half-time.

His subsequent lack of involvement has highlighted the challenge he faces in establishing himself under McInnes.

Dragojevic has been an unused substitute in seven of Rangers’ eight league matches, with the manager seemingly favouring Dan Neil, Nicolas Raskin and Tochi Chukwuani in central midfield.

Devlin had also been ahead of the Serbian in the pecking order before his injury, despite arriving without a transfer fee.

The difference in their recruitment costs makes the comparison particularly relevant. Rangers took relatively little financial risk by bringing Devlin to Ibrox on a free transfer, whereas the reported £4m spent on Dragojevic represents a considerably greater investment.

Rangers need to see signs of progress

Dragojevic’s limited opportunities do not automatically mean that Rangers have made a poor signing. At 20, he remains a developing player who may need time to adjust to a new league, a different tactical system and the demands of playing for a club with significant expectations.

However, the lack of regular minutes makes it difficult for him to demonstrate what he can offer, while his continued absence from the starting line-up raises questions about how quickly he can become an important member of the squad.

Rangers have already committed a substantial transfer fee to secure his services, and they will want to see evidence that the investment can pay off.

McInnes must decide whether to provide the youngster with more opportunities or continue relying on midfielders who currently appear better suited to his plans.

For Dragojevic, the priority is to make the most of any opportunities that come his way and convince the manager that he deserves a more prominent role.

There is still plenty of time for the Serbian to turn his Rangers career around. Nevertheless, if his current lack of involvement continues, the £4m signing risks becoming an increasingly uncomfortable example of the challenges facing the club’s summer recruitment strategy.

Compared with Devlin, whose arrival carried minimal transfer-fee risk, Dragojevic has considerably more to prove before Rangers can feel confident that their investment was justified.