Rangers transfer verdict as Michael Stewart demands hard cash at Ibrox on BBC
Michael Stewart says “hard cash” is needed to help Philippe Clement overhaul the Rangers squad in the summer transfer window.
Rangers finished second in the Scottish Premiership, eight points behind champions Celtic – though the Gers have a chance to get one over their rivals when they meet for the Scottish Cup final on 25 May.
However, Stewart feels Clement must be backed in the transfer market this summer if the Light Blues are to topple Celtic in the league next season.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound (18 May), he said: “Into the summer, there’s a big job needed at Rangers. I know that, looking at the squad as a whole at Rangers and the length of contracts that are in place, [thinking about] who would you keep and who should be moved on, suffice to say there’s major surgery needed to be done at Rangers.
“Philippe Clement spoke before the game about [being] a point better off than Celtic since he came in – they are now a point worse off after that game today [against Hearts] but I don’t think that’s a reflection on Philippe Clement, Rangers have fallen away at the end of the season like I don’t think any of us would have expected.
“He did an unbelievably good job to get them in contention when it never looked like that was going to happen, and that perhaps strengthens his hand a little bit, with the need to get players in the door.
“He spoke during the week about the fact that there’s a will at the club to do the turnaround that they need to, but it needs to be backed up with hard cash, which is obviously the issue for Rangers.
“We’ve spoken a lot about the hard cash at Celtic that they’ve got sitting in the bank and also that they’ve been able to bring in this season. Rangers need to somehow – use some European money perhaps, something – they just need to find some money. Recoup, perhaps from players getting sold on to try to reinvest because that squad needs a fair bit of work.”
How much work does the Rangers squad need in the summer transfer window?
Rangers are set to enter a pivotal summer, with six players – Borna Barisic, Leon Balogun, Ryan Jack, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe and John Lundstram – out of contract at the end of the season and a further four loan deals – Abdallah Sima, Oscar Cortes, Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande – ending.
Additionally, Tom Lawrence, Robby McCrorie, Scott Wright and Alex Lowry enter the final year of their contracts, while James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies, Kieran Dowell, Rabbi Matondo and Leon King will be down the last two years of their deals.
That leaves just Cyriel Dessers, Dujon Sterling, Nicolas Raskin, Ridvan Yilmaz, Ross McCausland, Danilo and Jack Butland with at least three years remaining at Ibrox – though Butland has been heavily linked with a return to England, while there are also doubts over Raskin’s future in Glasgow after a lack of game time under compatriot Clement.
With the futures of so many players up in the air ahead of the summer transfer window, it is safe to say that major surgery is likely to be conducted in the off-season. When Rangers begin the 2024/25 campaign, their squad may look very different indeed.
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