Rangers have completed the signing of Serbian midfielder Vanja Dragojevic from Partizan Belgrade. The 20-year-old defensive midfielder, who captained Partizan last season at the age of 19, has signed a four-year contract with the Scottish club.
Dragojevic made 41 appearances for Partizan during the last campaign and had attracted interest from several Bundesliga clubs. He earned his first two international caps for Serbia this year.
"It feels amazing, and I’m really happy and proud to be part of such a big club like Rangers," Dragojevic told the Rangers website. "It’s a big opportunity and I can’t wait to get started. I first heard (the interest) three months ago, and when I heard it I already knew it was very interesting to me because I think the winning mentality that Rangers have is compatible with my mentality."
Rangers manager Derek McInnes expressed his excitement about the signing, noting Dragojevic's potential and character. "He’s got huge potential, really exciting attributes, and boasts the character to play in this environment," McInnes said. "To captain a club the size of FK Partizan at such a young age tells you everything you need to know about the respect he commands and the leadership qualities he already possesses."
Dragojevic becomes Rangers’ seventh summer signing. The club has also added Lawrence Shankland, Cammy Devlin, Dan Neil, Ross McCrorie, Ben Godfrey, and Ivor Pandur this summer.
McInnes also indicated that the club is actively seeking to sign at least one more defender and a wide player before their Premiership campaign begins against Dundee United next Friday night. "I think the recruitment team have been really aggressive," McInnes stated. "We’re clear on what we’re trying to do. In terms of the positions we’ve identified, it’s clear for me we need a bit more in wider areas and we could do with another defender in the building."
He added that the club is close to completing one or two more deals, with the aim of having new signings available for their upcoming fixtures. "The good thing for me is the recruitment team and the board are really supporting us. They’re really aggressive with what we’re doing. At least giving us a chance to get good players here and hopefully we’ll see that."