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Europe's elite are circling Rangers' towering defender, already drawing Virgil van Dijk comparisons. This English powerhouse is becoming a defensive cornerstone.

Four major clubs from the continent are tracking Emmanuel Fernandez, a defender who is already standing out with Rangers. The Englishman, 24, has already been compared to the Dutchman Virgil van Dijk.

Signed last summer for just €2.9 million, the Englishman has had little trouble establishing himself as one of Rangers' new defensive pillars. For now, the defender has made 22 official appearances for the Scottish squad.

As is often the case in situations like this, his progress has not gone unnoticed. In fact, a report from All Nigeria Soccer dares to place him in the orbit of up to four major clubs from the continent. That quartet would consist of Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund. Quite something.

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Gifted with a powerful physique and more than tidy ball-handling skills, the still-young center-back (24) has already been compared to the Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, a defender who also passed through Scottish football (he spent two years at Celtic Glasgow) before embarking on a solid career in the Premier League.

Currently, Fernandez maintains a contract through June 2029, so his signing will require tough negotiations with the Rangers board. Previously, this footballer of Nigerian origin has worn the jerseys of modest clubs from the islands, including Peterborough, Barnet, Spalding United, Ramsgate, and Gillingham.

Since his arrival at Rangers, the center-back has scored 5 goals in 22 official appearances during the 2025/26 season. In the Scottish Premiership, the English player has played 17 games, scoring 4 goals, recording no assists, and accumulating 1,368 minutes, receiving 1 yellow card.

His statistics are rounded out by 4 appearances in the UEFA Europa League, totaling 328 minutes on the pitch, as well as performances in the League Cup, where he scored a goal in his only match played to date.

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