Ryan Naderi: International Tug-of-War for Rangers Striker

Ryan Naderi is still settling into life at Rangers, but his next big decision may come far from Glasgow – and far quicker than anyone expected.

According to Bild, the 23-year-old striker is on the brink of a call-up to the Czech national team, with sporting director Pavel Nedved already making direct contact. For a player who only broke into professional football in 2024, the pace of his rise is starting to match the power of his game.

A striker with three flags on the table

Naderi’s story is not a simple one-country tale. Born in Dresden to a Czech mother and a Bulgarian father, he sits at the crossroads of three national teams.

Bulgaria’s association has already tried to bring him in. They pushed, he pushed back. Those advances went nowhere. The report now suggests he is far more receptive to representing the Czech Republic, a shift that has sharpened the urgency around his international future.

Germany, though, still lurks in the background. If new national coach Jürgen Klopp sees a long-term option for the DFB, he would have to act quickly. Klopp is preparing for his first international window with Germany and is known for moving decisively when he identifies potential. Naderi, suddenly, looks like a decision that can’t be parked for later.

Passport, paperwork and a ticking clock

There is a catch for the Czechs. Before he can pull on their shirt, Naderi must first apply for a Czech passport. Only then would he be eligible to play.

That process may yet collide with the calendar. It remains unclear whether the paperwork can be completed in time for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, a demanding run that pits the Czech Republic against Croatia, England (twice) and Spain. Those are the sort of nights that can define an international career. Or, in Naderi’s case, delay the start of one.

From Dresden to Glasgow via Rostock

His club path has been more straightforward, if no less striking.

Naderi came through the youth ranks at Dynamo Dresden, earning a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach at 17. The Bundesliga club never quite opened the first-team door, but the next step did.

In 2024, he made his professional breakthrough with Hansa Rostock in the 3. Liga. There, the numbers began to tell the story: 45 appearances, 13 goals, nine assists. At 1.94 metres, he plays as a classic centre-forward – a penalty-box presence, a target, a focal point. Those figures, combined with that frame, turned heads beyond Germany’s third tier.

Rangers made their move last winter, paying a 3. Liga record fee of €5.5 million to bring him to Ibrox. It was a bold outlay for a player without top-flight experience, but the return is already visible: six goals and six assists in 21 appearances.

Making his mark in the Old Firm

If there were any doubts about his temperament, the Old Firm helped answer them.

In Rangers’ 3-0 win over Celtic last weekend, Naderi didn’t just appear on the pitch; he imposed himself on the game. He set up one of the goals and played a key role in the build-up to another, showing the blend of physicality and awareness that attracted Rangers in the first place.

Performances like that echo beyond club football. They land on scouting reports, in federation offices, on the desks of men like Nedved and Klopp. A young striker dominating the biggest fixture in Scotland will always draw attention.

Klopp watches on as the clock runs

Germany’s own schedule adds another layer of intrigue. In the upcoming international window, Klopp’s side face the Netherlands, Serbia and Greece (twice). The new coach plans to name an unusually large squad, using the opportunity to test a wide range of players and spring a few surprises.

Naderi, with his German birth, Czech heritage and Bulgarian roots, fits neatly into that grey area where talent, identity and timing collide. The DFB cannot claim him by default. The Czechs cannot field him without a passport. Bulgaria has already tried and failed.

One decision from the player – and one swift move from a federation – will close the door for the others.

For now, he keeps scoring, keeps assisting, keeps growing in Glasgow. The next shirt he chooses, though, might define the rest of his career.