Alexander Frei reckons Djiga is finally fulfilling his potential at Ibrox
12:00, 25 Mar 2026
Nasser Djiga of Rangers
As Switzerland’s all-time top goalscorer, Alexander Frei knows a good centre-half when he sees one.
And when he first clapped eyes on a young Nasser Djiga at Basel four years ago he recognised raw potential.
Now, Frei feels he’s watching it finally being fulfilled at Rangers.
Djiga had joined the Swiss club from Dutch outfit Vitesse as a rookie, 19-year-old defender.
His gaffer, Frei, threw him in at the deep end and admits the youngster wasn’t ready.
Djiga made errors at the back and was taken out of the Basel team for his own good.
That could have had a negative impact on the Burkina Faso international. But it was Djiga’s reaction to adversity that impressed Frei most.
Instead, he worked hard at his game and improved as a player.
After a couple of loan moves, he eventually sealed a £4million switch to Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade.
After winning two league titles there, Djiga then earned a stunning £10million move to Wolves in the Premier League.
Now, he finds himself at Ibrox and the 23-year-old is set to be a key player for Danny Rohl in the Premiership’s title run-in.
His story in Glasgow has similarities to what happened in Basel.
After a nervy start to his Rangers career, Djiga found himself out of the side. But since his return, he’s excelled alongside Emmanuel Fernandez at the heart of their defence.
Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez
And some Gers fans now want the club to make his move from Molineux permanent this summer.
Frei, a legendary Swiss striker who also played for Rennes and Borussia Dortmund, isn’t surprised by Djiga’s progress.
In an exclusive interview with Record Sport, he said: “Nasser was still very young when he was my player and we had two or three other centre-backs at Basel at that time.
“So it was difficult for him to get into the first 11 right away. But from the start, I could see that he was talented and a really good player.
“So in the first couple of games, I put him in. But the problem was, he made some mistakes.
“Now, if you have time as a coach, that’s not a problem with a young player. But in Basel, it was difficult and I didn’t have that time.
“He made a few mistakes so the other central defenders came in and – at that time – were better than Nasser. But that didn’t change the fact he was a good player. He just needed time to grow. And now I see that happening at Rangers. Playing games every week means he’s growing up and there aren’t so many mistakes.
“Now, he’s a very good central defender.
“What I liked about Nasser was that he made those mistakes and learned from them. I could see his potential. And I can assure you, he never made the same mistake twice. That’s important for any young player.
“It sounds like it has been the same at Rangers. He was out of the team but now he’s back and has adapted more to Scottish football. That doesn’t surprise me about Nasser.
“He’s a talented player and he’s also a fantastic guy too. He wants to learn every day and for a coach, that’s amazing to see in a young player.”
Former Switzerland forward Alexander Frei(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Incredibly, at 23 Djiga has already had six different clubs in his career. Between Basel and Red Star, he had another loan stint in France with Nîmes before heading for Wolverhampton.
So far, he’s failed to find a proper home.
He struggled for game time at Molineux but is due to return there at the end of the campaign, with Wolves destined for relegation to the Championship.
Rohl would surely like to keep him at Ibrox but whether a deal is financially viable for Rangers remains to be seen.
Certainly, Frei is adamant that a permanent stay in Glasgow would be the best thing for Djiga’s career.
In fact, he’s urged the big defender to plant roots at Ibrox and make his name for Rangers before eventually returning to England’s top flight.
He said: “I’d like to see him stay at Rangers longer now. It’s a fantastic club for him. In Scotland, the choice is always Rangers or Celtic but both are very good teams.
“For Nasser, in the future he can go back to play in the Premier League. But I say to young players all the time, it’s no good for your career to change clubs seven times or make seven loan moves.
“They have to decide, this is my team. Play three years, then decide on your next step. I think Nasser has to make that decision now.
“He’s still only 23 and he has moved too much. He’s had too many clubs already. I’d like to see him settle down in Scotland. He must find the club where he can really grow up and play a lot of games.”
Nasser Djiga in action against Crystal Palace(Image: Wolves via Getty Images)
Frei represented Switzerland at two World Cups and two European Championships – and is his country’s leading marksman with 42 goals in 84 games.
So he knows about pressure. During his time at Dortmund, he was also linked with a move to Celtic so he’s well aware of the Old Firm and the size of both Glasgow clubs.
He’s delighted to see Djiga excel under the Ibrox spotlight – because he’s convinced it will only make him better.
Frei said: “I’m pleased to see Nasser at a club like Rangers. Being in a place where there is so much pressure to win every week will help him as a player, of course it will.
“There is pressure is everywhere in football. But at some clubs in Europe, it’s raised even more. And at Rangers, you have to win Scottish titles and the Scottish Cup.
“That’s real pressure but you know that when you sign there.
“Having to deal with that will be good for Nasser’s development as a player.
“It’s nice for me as his former coach to see him playing really well because I saw him as a young player at Basel. For a coach, he’s everything you’d wish for as a player.”