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Steven Gerrard’s Rangers sign Bongani Zungu on deadline day

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Bongani Zungu of Bafana Bafana

Steven Gerrard finally got his midfield wish as Rangers beat the transfer deadline to sign South Africa’s Bongani Zungu.

Ibrox boss Gerrard has made little secret of his desire to add another option to his engine room but was made to wait until just two hours before Monday’s midnight cut-off point to see a long-running transfer saga involving Amiens ace Zungu finally come to fruition.

Gers had been linked with the 27-year-old powerhouse midfielder for much of the summer, with the Light Blues initially quoted a £4-million fee.

Zungu won the Caf Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns under Pitos Mosimane before moving to Europe with Vitória Guimarães SC before earning a move to France with Amiens.

The combative midfielder impressed many at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations and has reportedly been on the radar of a number of clubs across Europe.

Gerrard’s Rangers, though, beat off competition from the likes of Olympiacos and Real Sociedad to capture the Bafana Bafana international’s signature.

But in the end Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson has been able to negotiate a season-long loan, with the Light Blues holding an option to make the deal permanent next summer.

There also appears to be further good news for Gerrard with Alfredo Morelos expected to stay at Ibrox despite fresh speculation over his future with an unnamed Serie A club reportedly failed in a loan bid for the Colombian.