Niko Katic in Rangers reminder as forgotten Ibrox man helps keep Hajduk Split in title fight

Rangers outcast Niko Katic starred as Hajduk Split kept their slim title hopes alive on Friday night.

The defender was loaned out to the Croatian side last summer as he fell down the pecking order at Ibrox under former boss Steven Gerrard.

A career-threatening knee injury saw him miss out on an historic campaign as Rangers halted Celtic's ten-in-a-row bid.

The Croatian international was then lining up for Gers' B team alongside youngsters such as Alex Lowry and Jake Hastie.

But since returning to his homeland, Katic has turned out 24 times as HAJ look to stay in the title race right until the wire.

They did themselves a favour on Friday as they fended off HNK Gorica with a narrow 1-0 victory. This keeps Katic's men within seven points of Dinamo Zagreb with six games remaining.

Josip Vukovic volleyed them ahead on 13 minutes as Katic kept things things tight at the back with a clean sheet. As Split held on towards the end, the Rangers defender picked up a yellow card.

Katic's adopted side also have a Croatian Cup final to look forward to next month.

The defender has been in fine form of late and with an Ibrox rebuild on the cards, he could be attracting the attention of Gio van Bronckhorst.

A solid league campaign and a Croatian Cup victory could send the 25-year-old back to Glasgow with his held high as he looks to force his way back into Rangers' first-team fold.

Whatever happens, Katic will always be fondly remembered by the Light Blues for heading in the winner against Celtic at Parkhead in December 2019.