Rangers are stepping up their move for highly-rated Nigerian defender Akpe Victory as the Scottish club look to beat Portuguese giants Benfica to one of Africa’s fastest-rising young talents, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 19-year-old centre-back, who plays for Hungarian side Zalaegerszegi TE, is set to break into the European limelight after an impressive breakthrough campaign in Hungary.
Reports in Scotland say talks have already begun between Rangers and the player’s representatives, with the Ibrox club preparing an offer that could be worth around £4.5m. Benfica have also made an approach, while scouts from clubs in Germany, Spain and France are continuing to monitor his progress closely.
Rangers manager Danny Rohl is understood to be keen on strengthening his defence after his side fell away in the Scottish Premiership title race during the closing weeks of the season. Rangers had remained in contention for long periods, but four defeats in their opening four matches of the post-split top-six phase damaged their hopes of catching rivals Celtic and Hearts.
Victory’s physical presence is believed to be one of the main reasons behind Rangers’ interest. Standing at 6ft 5in, the teenager has earned praise in Hungary for his dominance in the air, his calmness on the ball and his ability to read danger early.
The Abuja-born defender has made 15 senior appearances this season and scored once, a notable achievement for a player still in the early stages of his professional career. He recently featured for Zalaegerszeg in the Hungarian Cup final against Ferencvárosi TC at Budapest’s Puskas Arena, another sign of how quickly his reputation is growing.
Akpe Victory at the centre of European transfer battle
Victory was a relative unknown youngster before he left Nigeria last year. Before moving to Hungary, he spent time at Hyraj academy in Lagos and later played in Lithuania with FK Banga Gargždai. His performances there helped earn him a move to Hungary, where he has continued his development against stronger opposition.
He is under contract at Zalaegerszeg until 2028, with the club holding an option to extend the deal by another year. That strong contract position means Rangers or Benfica would likely have to pay a significant fee to convince the Hungarian side to sell this summer.
One factor that could work in Rangers’ favour is the success of fellow Nigerian defender Emmanuel Fernandez at Ibrox. Fernandez joined Rangers from Peterborough United last summer and quickly became an important player, scoring seven goals in 32 appearances during his debut season.
The 24-year-old also earned recognition with Nigeria's Super Eagles after his move to Scotland, something Victory will hope to achieve if his career continues on its current path.
Rangers believe Victory could form a powerful partnership with Fernandez at the heart of their defence. Both players are physically strong, dangerous from set-pieces and comfortable playing in modern attacking systems that require defenders to carry the ball forward.
Benfica, however, remain a serious rival in the race. The Portuguese club have built a strong reputation for developing young talent before selling players for huge profits, and that pathway could appeal to the Nigerian teenager.
Akpe Victory currently has an estimated value of €100,000 as per Transfermarkt.
