Borna Barisic transfer rumours: Rangers’ stance and defender’s clear message amid Watford interest

Borna Barisic has been heavily linked with a move away from Rangers this month – but where do things currently stand?

And with speculation unlikely to die down any time soon, we take a look at the current state of play with the 29-year-old:

While there may be interest from elsewhere in Barisic, Rangers are in a strong position to retain the defender.

His current deal at Ibrox is not set to expire until 2024, meaning there is no immediate risk that the player will depart for nothing.

That means Rangers can conduct any business on their own terms, with reports suggesting they have already knocked back a £2million bid from Watford.

An asking price of around £5million is understood to have been placed on Barisic, and given his contract situation there is little argument for the Gers to entertain lower offers.

Watford are the main party to have been linked with Barisic during the winter transfer window.

Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa have unsurprisingly also been linked with a move, while there are also thought to be other clubs monitoring the situation.

Barisic has been clear that his focus remains on Rangers for the time being.

And while he says there has been a lot of ‘wrong information’ circulated, the former NK Osijek man did not fully close the door on an exit.

When quizzed on whether he would remain at Ibrox beyond January, the defender said: “You never know in football. What if someone came and said ‘here’s £30m for Borna’? I will not be here, right?

“The only thing that matters is I am fully professional like always. I am fully focused on Rangers and on our next game which is Aberdeen. All the answers, you will have at the start of February.

“The situation is that I am focused on Rangers, like I always said when it’s talking about transfers.

“I’m not reading newspapers and things like that, but I heard a lot of wrong information. Not all of them, but a lot of wrong information.”