Kosta Nedeljkovic excited to work with countryman Vanja Dragojevic at Rangers

Kosta Nedeljkovic is delighted to team up with compatriot Vanja Dragojevic at Rangers after playing on opposite sides of the divide in Belgrade.

Midfielder Dragojevic, 20, arrived from Partisan Belgrade in July as part of new boss Derek McInnes’s rebuild.

Fellow Serbia international Nedeljkovic started his career at Red Star Belgrade and this week the 20-year-old right-back signed for Rangers on a season-long loan from Aston Villa with a conditional obligation to buy.

He came off the bench to make his debut in the narrow 1-0 Conference League play-off win over Czech side Jablonec at Ibrox on Thursday night and spoke about his relationship with fellow countryman Dragojevic.

“I chose Rangers because it’s such a big club,” he said. “We will fight for the title, and hopefully play in Europe.

“After I spoke with the manager, I took this decision because I think we play football how I want to play, attacking, with transitions. This style of football is amazing for me.

“I spoke with Vanja because we know each other from Serbia, so of course he helped me to take this decision.

“We play together in the national team, so of course, we help each other, this is so important. We have known each other for the last ten years.

“In Serbia, we play on the opposite sides, but now we are in Scotland we are such good friends and we play here together, let’s say, grow up together.”

Nedeljkovic believes he can fulfil is potential at the club.

He said: “When I moved from Serbia, let’s say to international football in Villa for six months, I had 10 official games, so it’s not bad.

“I moved to RB Leipzig (on loan), which was amazing because I played every game.

“Last year it was tough because I had one knee injury and I wasn’t playing for two and a half months. After this, it was hard to consistently play.

“Rangers are a big club, I can progress here. I want to play for the club who is always every attacking every game. For me, this is very important.”

Nedeljkovic will vie with Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie for the right-back position and all three have to fill the gap left by James Tavernier.

The former Rangers captain left Ibrox last season after 11 years at the club, during which time he played 562 games, scoring 144 goals.

Nedeljkovic is not shirking from the task, saying: “Everyone knows James Tavernier, of course, I watched Rangers before.

“So I know he was here ten years or more.

“I don’t feel the pressure because I just focus on myself, but I really liked how he played his style of football, so I want to be dominate defensively, but also to have a lot of assists and goals. So I want to be like him in the final third.”