Rangers Striker Ryan Naderi Faces International Decision
Ryan Naderi has barely settled into life at Rangers, yet his next big decision may not be about club football at all. It could be about his international future.
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 contact. For a player who only broke into professional football in 2024, the pace of his rise has been striking.
Three countries, one decision
Naderi’s story is tailor-made for a modern international tug-of-war. 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 on board. Those attempts went nowhere; Naderi turned them down. The Czech Republic, though, is a different proposition. Reports suggest he is more open to representing his mother’s country, and Nedved’s early move underlines how serious the Czechs are.
Germany lurks in the background as the heavyweight option. With Jürgen Klopp now in charge of the national team and preparing to overhaul the squad, any German-eligible talent immediately comes into focus. If Klopp sees Naderi as a genuine DFB prospect, he would have to act quickly. The window to convince a player like this does not stay open for long.
Passport race against the clock
There is a catch for the Czechs. Before Naderi can pull on their shirt, he needs to secure a Czech passport. That process is already a talking point: would it be completed in time for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia, England (twice) and Spain?
Those are not gentle introduction games. They are high-stakes, high-intensity tests, exactly the kind of stage where a powerful, penalty-box striker can announce himself to Europe. Whether bureaucracy moves fast enough to give him that chance remains unclear.
From Dresden prospect to Rangers record buy
Naderi’s club journey has been steady rather than spectacular, but every step has pushed him higher.
He came through the youth ranks at Dynamo Dresden, then left for Borussia Mönchengladbach at 17, a move that signalled his potential even if he did not immediately break through at the top level. The real jump came in 2024 with Hansa Rostock in the 3. Liga.
There, he finally had a platform and used it. In 45 league appearances, he scored 13 goals and laid on nine assists. Those numbers do not just tell you he can finish; they show he links play, occupies defenders and creates for others.
At 1.94 metres, Naderi is a classic centre-forward. He offers a target, wins duels, and gives teams a focal point. That profile, combined with his output, convinced Rangers to move.
Last winter, the Scottish club paid €5.5 million for him, a record fee for a player from the 3. Liga. It was a bold statement: Rangers were not just buying potential, they were betting that Naderi could handle the weight of expectation at a club where every touch is scrutinised.
Making his mark in Glasgow
So far, he has handled it. In 21 appearances for Rangers, Naderi has six goals and six assists. The raw numbers are solid; the context makes them even more impressive.
Last weekend, he stepped onto the biggest domestic stage available to him: the Old Firm. Rangers beat Celtic 3-0, and Naderi left fingerprints all over the game. He set up one goal and played a key role in the build-up to another, imposing himself in a fixture that often exposes those who are not ready.
Performances like that do not go unnoticed in national-team offices. They accelerate conversations, force decisions, sharpen interest. A few months ago, Naderi was a promising striker in Germany’s third tier. Now, he is a record signing at Rangers and the subject of serious international debate.
Klopp watches on
While the Czechs push and Bulgaria wait in the wings, Germany prepares for its own set of tests. In the upcoming international window, Klopp’s side will face the Netherlands, Serbia and Greece (twice). The new national coach is expected to name an unusually large squad, designed to cast the net wide and examine as many options as possible.
Surprises are anticipated. New faces will appear. Fringe players will get a look.
The question is whether Naderi will still be available by the time Germany decides what it wants to do with him. The Czechs have moved first. The passport process has begun to loom over the story. Bulgaria has already missed its chance.
For a 23-year-old who only truly arrived on the professional scene last year, it is a remarkable position to be in: three nations circling, one decision to make, and a career that could be shaped by the flag he chooses to stand under.
