Philippe Clement could take advantage of James Tavernier and Connor Goldson exits at Rangers
Rangers could see James Tavernier and Connor Goldson leave Ibrox this summer after both were linked with moves to Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq.
According to the Daily Record [25 April], a major rule change in Saudi Arabia has opened the door for Al-Ettifaq, with teams in the Saudi Pro League set to add more foreign players to their squads.
The former Gers manager is said to be keen on stealing both defensive stars to add to his team in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ettifaq falling to seventh in the league table this season.
While the Ibrox faithful might not be overly enthralled at the idea of the duo departing Scotland at the end of the season, especially Tavernier, it could ultimately end up benefitting boss Philippe Clement.
The Belgian has done wonders since being appointed by the Gers in October, closing a considerable gap on their Old Firm rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, reaching the Europa League round of 16, winning the Scottish League Cup, and reaching the final of the Scottish Cup.
Despite this, it is difficult to ignore the ageing nature of Clement’s squad at Ibrox, one that will need a revamp at some point, and this summer could present him with the perfect opportunity.
In addition to the aforementioned duo, Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe are all aged 30 years or older, with some very injury-prone too.
Rangers could be set for rebuild under Philippe Clement
Clement is well-known for his rebuilds at clubs and leading different teams to success, having done so with Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco.
He will be keen to do the same in Scotland, and after already lifting the League Cup and battling for the Scottish Premiership title, the manager has a very steady base to work with.
Clement brought in Oscar Cortes, Wolves forward Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande on loan in January – the latter with an obligation to buy – and will be looking to shake up the squad with some permanent additions in the summer.
If Rangers were to receive decent offers for Tavernier and Goldson this summer then the club would be naive to not think about accepting them as ultimately it could help Clement mould the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
It will be incredibly difficult to replace the former’s 125 total goals since signing from Wigan in 2015, and both have been excellent servants to the club.
All good things come an end, though, and maybe this is the time to cut ties.
In other Rangers news, the club may regret their decision as Manchester City and Chelsea are now keen on signing a starlet who’s impressed recently.
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