“‘A Wild Idea’: Rangers Flop Suggested as Perfect Replacement if £35m Star Joins Chelsea”

Let’s set aside those rumors linking Chelsea with a move for Rangers left-back Jefte for a moment.

The Brazilian full-back has had an inconsistent debut campaign in Scottish football, with a string of defensive lapses following those reports of interest from Stamford Bridge.

But if Jefte’s form has been underwhelming, fellow summer signing Robin Propper has found it even harder to settle into life at Ibrox.

Propper has not featured in the starting XI since his poor performance in the home defeat to Motherwell over a month ago.

His display in that game drew harsh criticism, with former Rangers captain Craig Moore describing the £1.5 million acquisition from FC Twente as “easy to play against” for opposing strikers.

While he’s held his own in European fixtures, Propper has struggled to cope with the physicality and intensity of the Scottish Premiership.

The robust demands of domestic football appear to be a challenge too far for the Dutch centre-half in a Rangers shirt.

Despite his difficulties in Scotland, Propper’s standing in the Netherlands remains strong.

With Feyenoord expected to be on the lookout for a replacement for star defender David Hancko, Propper’s name has reportedly come up as a potential option.

Journalist Mounir Boualin even floated the idea publicly, saying: “Maybe it’s a crazy suggestion, but I would consider bringing Robin Propper back from Scotland.

He’s 31, experienced, and I think he could offer a lot in the dressing room. Plus, he shouldn’t be too expensive.”

Rangers likely wouldn’t resist too strongly if an opportunity arose to recoup their investment.

The Eredivisie is generally less physically demanding for defenders than the Scottish Premiership, which might suit Propper better.

He was an instrumental figure for FC Twente last season, even captaining the side to Europa League qualification.

This season, Twente have already conceded more goals in 27 matches without him than they did in 34 games with him in 2023/24, highlighting the impact of his absence.

Meanwhile, Hancko’s likely summer departure from Feyenoord could trigger a domino effect.

The Slovakian centre-back has attracted interest from a host of top clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Atletico Madrid.

His agent also acknowledged past interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.

Pundit Mart ten Have supports the idea of Propper stepping in for Hancko, stating: “I think it would be a smart move.

If Feyenoord add someone to play alongside Thomas Beelen and bring in Propper, that’s solid business.”

Back in Scotland, Propper was an unused substitute during Rangers’ dramatic comeback win against Dundee, where they once again came from 2-0 down to win 4-3, with Cyriel Dessers scoring the decisive goal.

Although the current defensive options—John Souttar, Dujon Sterling, and Leon Balogun—have not been entirely convincing either, it’s unlikely that Barry Ferguson will turn to Propper when Rangers face Hibernian at Ibrox on Saturday.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd was clear in his assessment, saying after Propper and Clinton Nsiala’s struggles against Kilmarnock: “Robin Propper is miles off it and has been for quite a while.”