Rangers have secured Croatian goalkeeper Ivor Pandur on a four-year contract from Hull City for an undisclosed fee, while outgoing number one Jack Butland prepares for a move in the opposite direction. Pandur arrives at Ibrox after helping Hull gain promotion to the English Premier League last season.
The defensive reinforcement arrives while Pandur is away with his national squad at the World Cup, as Rangers announced the arrival of the 26-year-old on a permanent deal. The transfer brings an end to a protracted pursuit that, according to the player, began before he joined Hull from Fortuna Sittard in January 2024.
I remember my agent was talking to a director who is not with this club any more and it came close,
he recalled, noting that contact with Rangers was ongoing through the season
. Pandur revealed that I didn't have much to think about
when the approach came and a deal was done in a couple of days
. He added, It is probably better because I am much better than I was three or four years ago – I have developed quite a lot and there's still more to come and I think I'm in a perfect place to improve.
Financial Pressures and Squad Realignment at Hull City
Financial Pressures and Squad Realignment at Hull City
Rangers have taken advantage of Hull’s need to sell some key players in order to clear their £6m Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) deficit and avoid a possible points deduction.
Pandur exits Humberside after making 48 appearances last season as Sergej Jakirovic’s side won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs after finishing sixth in the Championship. During that campaign, Pandur became only the fourth goalkeeper in history to keep clean sheets in both play-off semi-finals—against Millwall—and the final, where he kept another clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
However, his path to Glasgow also triggers a significant outgoing shift. Current Ibrox number one Jack Butland, who has posted a farewell message to Rangers fans on social media, is expected to move in the opposite direction. Butland, who earned the last of his nine England caps in 2018, joined Rangers from Crystal Palace in October 2023. The 33-year-old has since made 157 appearances for the Ibrox club. With his expected exit to Hull, it leaves Pandur to compete with Liam Kelly, who was with the Scotland squad at the World Cup, for the starting spot at Ibrox under manager Derek McInnes.
Technical Profile and Managerial Praise
Technical Profile and Managerial Praise
McInnes welcomed his new signing by pointing to his physical stature and demeanor on the pitch. He is a goalkeeper with excellent presence and a strong character.“ “He has shown his quality, he is at a good stage of his career, and we believe he can be a commanding figure for the club.“ I am looking forward to welcoming Ivor into the team when he returns from the World Cup.
Statistical breakdowns highlight a shot-stopper with high volume and proven durability. Pandur made an early professional debut for top-flight outfit Rijeka at the age of just 19 having been a youth cap for his country, before a move to Serie A with Verona where he saved two penalties on his debut in a Coppa Italia win over Venezia. After joining Fortuna on loan with an option to buy and quickly establishing himself as first choice, he earned a permanent move to the Dutch top flight, making 31 appearances in his first season. Sold to Hull six months into a four-year contract, he established himself as first choice after an eight-month wait for his debut, and though his form dipped amid transfer speculation during his second season in Humberside, he played in all but one of Hull’s 46 Championship matches last term.
Last season, Pandur kept 14 clean sheets in 48 games, making 150 saves at a save percentage of 69.8% and 66 minutes per goal. In comparison, Butland’s 38 games yielded only two fewer clean sheets (12), making 104 saves at a higher save percentage of 70.7% and 79 minutes per goal, while the Englishman’s four penalty saves were two more than Pandur’s. Pandur’s earlier career also included starting with local club Rijeka, spending three years with Hellas Verona in Italy, and making his senior breakthrough in the 2019/20 season keeping 10 clean sheets in 21 appearances for his hometown club HNK Rijeka, before switching to Hellas Verona in August 2020.
Reuniting With a Club Legend
Reuniting With a Club Legend
Pandur’s arrival coincides with the return of former number one Allan McGregor as goalkeeping coach. For the incoming Croatian, the presence of the veteran club legend proved decisive.
It means a lot to me to have him as my coach,
Pandur said. It is up to me to learn from him and ask him questions and develop under him.
He added, He is a legend of the club and also in Europe he played a lot of games and in the national team as well.
When I found he was the goalkeeping coach, it just filled me with happiness. I want to learn from the best and that's why I came as well.
Before finalizing his decision, Pandur consulted Hull team-mates John Lundstram and Kieran Dowell, and former Rangers striker Antonio Colak. They warned him about the heavy demands and unrelenting atmosphere awaiting him in Glasgow, noting that the club demands trophies and pressure.
John Lundstram, Kieran Dowell, and Antonio Colak
They told me they demand a lot,
he revealed. There is pressure. They want trophies.
I want all of that as well, so I never ran from pressure, from responsibility all my career – it's just the way I've been raised.
He concluded, I want to test myself on the biggest stage and I think Rangers are one of the biggest clubs in Europe. In my mind I know I'm ready for it.
Sources: bbc.co.uk.
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