Glasgow Rangers are moving swiftly in the summer transfer window, having already signed Emmanuel Fernandez, Thelo Aasgaard, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons, and Lyall Cameron.

Journalist Anthony Joseph recently revealed that Rangers are set to sign central defender Nasser Djiga on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

The 22-year-old central defender is closing in on a loan that would not include an option to buy, though, which means that he may only be at Ibrox for one season.

Rangers are, however, also interested in a deal to sign another centre-back who could be an even better signing for Russell Martin moving forward.

Rangers closing in on English defender

Despite having already signed Fernandez and the report that they are closing in on a deal for Djiga, the Light Blues would like to add another central defender to their squad.

According to the Daily Record, it is 'believed' that a deal to sign former England international Conor Coady from Leicester City is 'close' to being completed.

The report claims that the Scottish Premiership giants are currently in talks with the Foxes to get a deal over the line for the experienced titan in the coming days.

It adds that Coady is 'keen' to make the move to Ibrox to link up with Martin's squad, in what would be a permanent transfer for the 32-year-old veteran.

Why Coady would be an even better signing than Djiga

The English centre-back would come in as an even better signing than Djiga for several reasons, firstly because he is closing in on a permanent move, rather than a loan.

This means that Martin could count on Coady to be a key player for several seasons, rather than just one, which means that the former Wolves captain would provide Rangers with more value over time.

The fact that the English ace, who was described as an "infectious" character by Gareth Southgate, was the captain for Wolves before his time at Leicester and Everton also suggests that the centre-back could bring key leadership skills to Ibrox, which may not be the case for Djiga, who is only 22 and still starting out in his career.

Their respective performances in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign also suggest that Coady could provide more quality on the pitch in the here and now.

As you can see in the table above, the Leicester defender offered more to his team in the top-flight than the Wolves youngster, who did not get many opportunities in his defence, with his defensive contributions, which suggests that he would be the better immediate option for Martin at Ibrox next season.

Whilst Djiga, at the age of 22, may have the potential to improve in the future, Rangers may not get to see the best of that when they will only have him for a season.

Coady, meanwhile, is a known quantity and looks set to provide a reliable presence and a strong voice at the heart of the defence for multiple seasons, which is why he is on course to be an even better signing for the club.

Therefore, a move for the veteran English colossus could be a shrewd piece of business for the Gers, snapping up a star with ten caps for England and 198 appearances in the Premier League under his belt.