Who is Erik Botheim as Rangers target profiled

It's transfer season and all fans want are some rumours and deals, don't they?

It's been fairly slow in Scotland so far but Rangers are interested in signing Erik Botheim on a free transfer after he left Russian outfit Krasnador.

The Norwegian striker only moved there in January but decided to rip up his contract because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it allowed him to do it.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is hoping to strengthen his side this summer and this could be a fascinating deal if they can get it over the line in the coming weeks.

Football Scotland take a close look at him to see what he's all about.

The 22-year-old has had an eventful career so far after coming through the youth ranks at Lyn and then Rosenberg.

He made his senior Lyn debut at 15 and scored his first goal at the same age.

He made the move to Norwegian giants Rosenberg at 16 and spent four years there but it didn’t quite work out.

A loan spell at Stabaek was disappointing and he was allowed to leave at the end of his contract.

He then joined Bodo/Glimt and has kickstarted his career scoring 23 goals in 46 games for the club, including two against Roma in a 6-1 win.

They were one of a number clubs rumoured to be interested in him but he decided to move to Russia with Krasnodar.

He didn’t play for them at all though and decided to terminate his contract after the invasion of Ukraine.

Now he’s on the lookout for his next side.

Botheim isn’t a player who is too tall and isn’t big either but he holds the ball up brilliantly with his back to goal.

He’s a striker that can link play very well but is deadly in front of goal and knows how to find the right position.

He’d come in to Ibrox as competition for Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe if he does sign, and he’s got a bit of both of them.

Botheim is able to battle with defenders and he’s got the natural instinct of Roofe too.

At 21, he’s got a lot to learn but he’s got the potential to be excellent.

During his time at Bodo/Glimt, a lot of his shots came from inside the box and many of them from inside the six-yard box.

He's a good friend of Manchester City's new superstar Erling Haaland and even formed a band with him while a youth player in Norway.

The pair, along with fellow Norway U18 team-mate Erik Tobias Sandberg, produced a song called ‘Kygo Jo’ and uploaded it to YouTube.

Their band was called Flow Kingz and has almost 9m views.

The pair have remained close friends too since their days in the Norway youth ranks.

It's early days in this transfer and it's understood Rangers have watched him closely, but are yet to make a serious move for him.

Football Scotland revealed earlier that the Ibrox side could offer him a deal and he would be available on a free transfer after ripping his own contract.

Van Bronckhorst has had to deal with being without a striker at times recently but now could add a further option.