‘Leaking money’ – Pundit delivers verdict amid concern over Rangers financial figures
Tam McManus is unconcerned by the losses Rangers have accrued in the last financial year due to the current value of Steven Gerrard’s playing squad.
Last week, Rangers’ financial accounts were published with the Gers posting a loss of £15.9million, an increase on the £11.6million lost the year before that despite an 11 per cent increase in revenue [Glasgow Evening Times].
According to the Herald, “the board of the Scottish Premiership leaders and it’s auditor reported a going concern uncertainty”.
But ex-Hibernian striker McManus has no such worries about the finances at Ibrox because the club can easily cover those losses by selling players who’ve improved their value under Gerrard’s leadership in Glasgow.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned if I was a Rangers fan looking at the losses simply because you can get good money for them [players],” McManus told PLZ Soccer’s Football Show.
“Teams and scouts always look at teams that are doing well. Teams at the bottom of the league will never get scouted for players, it’s the teams at the top who are doing well and Rangers are doing well domestically and in Europe.
“Teams in Europe will go by and be like ‘look at their players, they’re doing well’.
“Kent, Morelos, Tavernier, Barisic, Kamara. All these guys are guys you can get good money for. Rangers haven’t had that in the last three or four years – even with Pedro Caixinha. There was nobody they could sell.
“It wasn’t a bottomless pit, they were leaking money left, right and centre.
“But now, you can sell a player every window and keep yourself ticking over to keep your head above water.”
On top of Rangers being able to cover their losses by selling players for a big profit, there’s also a huge possibility of Champions League football next season.
Due to the Gers’ brilliant performances in the Europa League under Gerrard, two Scottish teams will qualify for the 2021/22 Champions League qualifiers this season.
Also, some of that loss will be down the lack of matchday revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the Gers to play behind closed doors.
Once fans are allowed back in, once the club reaps the financial rewards of performing well this season and if they qualify for the Champions League, there’ll be less concern about the finances and perhaps less of a need to sell players.
In other Rangers news, this “incredible” Gers ace has been tipped to make a move to the Premier League.