Staying put: Madjid Bougherra will be with Rangers at least until January after no clubs moved for him in the summer. Pic: ©SNS Group
Madjid Bougherra says the prospect of playing in the Champions League group stages for a second successive season made it easier for him to stay with Rangers. But the Algerian defender, an impressive performer at the 2010 World Cup, says he is only still at Ibrox mainly because he had no alternative offers.
Bougherra, who moved to the SPL from Charlton Athletic in 2008, was linked with moves to Germany, England and France in the early stages of the summer transfer window. Yet no moves for the 27-year-old came off, with the deadline passing without any known bids to lure him away.
A key figure in the Rangers defence, Bougherra has made little secret of his desire to try his luck elsewhere at some stage but has persistently said he is happy to remain in Glasgow, where he has won two league championships.
With Rangers’ first tie in the Champions League against Manchester United now on the horizon, Bougherra says the lure of taking on Europe’s best helped him to stay with the Light Blues. But, in the same breath, he hinted he may have taken another option had one been forthcoming.
“That [the Champions League] was one of the factors in my choice,” Bougherra told Le Buteur. “But I must say that I stayed with Rangers, where I have two years remaining, because there was no serious offer to buy out my contract.”
The match at Old Trafford on September 14 will give Bougherra the chance to continue his tussle with the talents of Wayne Rooney, who he successfully helped to snuff out in South Africa in a 0-0 draw between Algeria and England.
Stopping Rooney from playing contributed greatly to the Fennecs picking up a well-deserved point back in June. But Bougherra believes there is greater quality in depth at club level, saying the talented forward won’t be United’s sole goal threat.
“This will be my second duel with Rooney,” said Bougherra. “But there will be other strikers just as dangerous, such as Berbatov. In a team like Manchester United, danger can come from any player.
“I am current focused on the SPL and the match this weekend against Hamilton. We have a real marathon ahead of us in the coming weeks with a series of matches.
“A confrontation like the one against Manchester United would motivate any player.”
BOUGHERRA'S RANGERS FUTURE
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With his attentions firmly focused on achieving further accolades with Rangers, Bougherra says his team simply must improve on their showing in last season’s competition, in which they finished bottom of the group.
“Our goal is to qualify for the knockout stages or, at least, finish in third place and qualify for the Europa League,” said the defender.
“Although our group is more difficult than last season, with Manchester United, Valencia and Bursaspor, we will try to do better this season. We are very motivated.”
