Niko Katic is set for a loan move to Hajduk Split as Steven Gerrard looks to get the stopper much-needed game time and replace former Celtic target Mario Vuskovic.
The Croatian was crocked for the whole of last season as he was forced to watch from the sidelines as Rangers made history with their title win.
Gerrard played down recent reports that Katic’s Ibrox career was over but admitted he had to go out on loan to get up to speed in the short term.
Katic moved to Ibrox in a £1.5 million deal from Slaven Belupo at the start of Gerrard’s first season in charge three years ago.
The 24-year-old then signed an extension to his contract in October last year, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2023.
But his heartbreaking knee injury has left a question mark hanging over his long term future as he looks to force his way back into the Rangers side.
And he now looks set for a move back to his homeland with a season-long loan to Hajduk Split, managed by Swede Jens Gustafsson.
Speaking previously about the need for games, Gerrard said: "We are having discussions with Niko now to find the best solution for him in the coming months.
"He needs to play football and I can't guarantee him those games at the moment so we are trying to find the right solution for the boy in the short-term, but in-terms of people putting two and two together and writing his future off at Ibrox and saying that he is not in the plans or is going to be sold, I think that is wide of the mark.
"We are happy with Niko. He has had a real, serious injury over the last 12 months and more, so now, it is about how can we get him a certain number of games to get him right up to speed and in the best possible place he can be in as there is no getting away from it, it takes time to come back from that level of injury."
