Winter Rangers signing approached for first international call-up with options wide open - report

Rangers striker Ryan Naderi has been approached by Bulgaria for a surprise international call-up.

Naderi swapped German third-tier team Hansa Rostock for Rangers in early February, with hopes high that the striker could fire Danny Rohl’s team to Scottish Premiership glory.

The 22-year-old made his debut off the bench in a 5-1 win over Kilmarnock in the league, before scoring a brace against Queen’s Park in round four of the Scottish Cup.

The 6ft 4in forward has struggled to make much of an impact since then, with Rangers subsequently being dumped out of the cup by Celtic and falling behind league leaders Hearts.

Incidentally, Rangers man Naderi is eligible to play for his native Germany but can also represent Bulgaria due to his father and the Czech Republic because of his mother.

Bulgaria try to snap up Ryan Naderi

Naderi had talent as a youngster, with the striker being picked up by Borussia Monchengladbach back in 2021 when he was 18.

While he only played for their second team, some will have thought Naderi still had a good deal of potential.

But stepping up to the Scottish Premiership has not proven an easy task so far. Indeed, he is yet to score in the league from five games, but it is still early days.

Despite that, the Scottish Sun states that Bulgaria have contacted Naderi, with the striker potentially in the running to make his international debut in Indonesia this month under manager Aleksandar Dimitrov.

Bulgaria are gearing up to play in the FIFA Series in Jakarta against the Solomon Islands and either hosts Indonesia or Saint Kitts and Nevis between 25-31 March.

Reports in Bulgaria suggest Naderi, who scored eight goals in 18 games for Hansa Rostock this season, has expressed his enthusiasm for representing them in what may be too good a chance to turn down.

Rangers’ season in danger of being derailed

Pressure is ramping up on Rangers boss Rohl after a damaging few weeks for the Scottish giants.

In addition to their Scottish Cup exit, they have suffered disappointing draws with Celtic, when they were two goals up, Livingston, and Motherwell.

That has left them six points behind league leaders Hearts and four points behind rivals Celtic, although they do have a game in hand.

Questions are being asked of Rohl for the first time, particularly in light of 74-year-old interim Celtic boss Martin O’Neill seemingly gaining the upper hand on the German.

Therefore, Rangers cannot afford to lose at St. Mirren on Sunday afternoon, particularly as Hearts suffered a shock loss to Kilmarnock on Saturday.

After this clash, Rangers host Aberdeen and Dundee United in their next two league games, presenting an opportunity to ramp up their title bid.

If they lose on Sunday, Rangers may have to kiss goodbye to another title, the last of which came in 2021.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.