An update has emerged on Gio van Bronckhorst's Rangers plans for the upcoming summer transfer window at Ibrox... 

What's the talk?

According to The Express & Star, the Dutch head coach may land West Brom defender Cedric Kipre ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. Rangers are said to have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old since his days playing in the Scottish top flight earlier in his career.

The report claims that the Gers, along with Ligue 1 outfit Metz, are eyeing up the centre-back with a view to a potential swoop for his services in the coming months.

Supporters would love him

Ibrox supporters would surely love to see the 25-year-old in Glasgow, as he would be an excellent bargain signing for the club.

The Ivorian is a proven talent in the second tier in England, and this suggests that he has a good chance of being able to translate his form over to the Scottish Premiership. Ryan Kent, Connor Goldson, Kemar Roofe and John Lundstram are among the players who came to Scotland after playing in the English Championship and have established themselves as key members of the squad at Rangers.

In the English second tier this season, Kipre averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.97 across 14 outings. He made an impressive 3.8 tackles and interceptions and 2.2 clearances per game, showcasing the destroyer's ability to consistently break up play from the opposition whilst maintaining a high standard of performance.

This was also on show in the 2019/20 campaign when he was at Wigan. He played 36 times in the Championship and averaged a superb score of 6.99, making three tackles and interceptions and 3.9 clearances per match.

The 25-year-old has proven that he is a reliable player at that level and he has received plaudits for his displays.

Wigan podcaster Adam Pendlebury previously lauded the defender, telling Birmingham Live: "He was phenomenal. He was absolutely brilliant. He was confident, nothing got past him."

Birmingham Live recently reported that Kipre will cost just £1m this summer, and this means he could be a bargain signing for the Gers. It would be a minimal fee for a player heading into the peak years of his career, as he still has time on his side to improve and hone his skills even further, having already showcased his quality in the Championship.

This means that the 25-year-old could be a signing for the here-and-now and also for many seasons to come. Supporters would therefore love to have him at Ibrox as his age, and his statistics suggest that he would be a shrewd addition to Van Bronckhorst's squad.

AND in other news, Forget Aribo: "Astonishing" 93-touch Rangers gem who "eats up ground" was the Europa League final standout...