Rangers hold an £800,000 option to sign on-loan defender James Penrice permanently from AEK Athens following his seamless transition into an inverted midfield role at Ibrox Stadium.
Tactical Midfield Transition Sparks Debate
The 27-year-old excelled in a hybrid position during the recent 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final victory over Celtic. This tactical flexibility contrasts with the traditional full-back profile of primary left-back Tuur Rommens, who was ruled out for up to eight weeks in mid-August.
Former technical director Dan Purdy negotiated the discounted permanent transfer clause before his departure. Manager Derek McInnes now faces a prominent selection puzzle once the Belgian defender completes his recovery and returns to first-team fitness.
Penrice has quickly established himself as a core starter, operating fluidly between defensive and central areas to compensate for the absentee. The boyhood supporter, who recently praised domestic youth moves, is focused on securing his future.
Speaking to the Daily Record about the starting position, Penrice said: “Tuur is obviously injured but I’m coming in to play.”
He added: “I want to keep performing, I want to make the jersey my own and hopefully I can do that.”
Addressing his status beyond this season, the defender noted: “Staying here long-term is a conversation for the future but there’s obviously an option in the deal, everyone knows that.”
Rangers travel to face Celtic in their next Premiership fixture on Sunday.
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