‘Same old’ – Ferguson completely split at Rangers transfer news he’s heard
Rangers have been extremely busy in the transfer market this summer.
New manager Russell Martin has made countless new signings backed by the investment of Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises.
He’s also doing everything he can to sell unwanted players at a reasonable price.
However, not everyone has been won over by Rangers’ business in the transfer market.
This article includes exclusive comment from former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson
Jefte on verge of joining Palmeiras from Rangers
Jefte looks set to be the next Rangers player out the door as he has verbally agreed to join Palmeiras, as per reports on Thursday.
The Brazilian left-back, 21, only joined Rangers last summer but has been deemed surplus to requirements by his new boss.
Jefte started against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday, but he was at fault for Plzen’s opening goal.
Now, it seems that Martin has made a ruthless decision about the defender’s future.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson was split when reacting to the news he’d seen regarding Jefte.
He said: “It’s same old, same old. It continues now beyond Jefte with other players on long-term deals that aren’t wanted.
“Jefte looked as though he’d be a long-term project, someone who’d improve defensively, but that’s not proved the case.
“I like Jefte, and I’m 50-50 on this. I think he’s one who could be coached to become better in certain areas. Even if he’s not playing left-back, he could play further forward.
“But again, it’s down to the manager and his style of play, and if he’s not going to play then it’s important he gets out. It’s a good deal for him from that perspective.”
Martin has no choice but to be ruthless as squad overhaul continues
It might seem harsh to offload a 21-year-old defender just a year after he moved from a foreign league, but Martin has no choice but to make these sorts of decisions.
He’s been given the money to overhaul the Rangers squad, and it needs a serious overhaul after finishing so far behind Celtic in recent years.
Yet, if he’s going to sign so many players in one transfer window, he needs to be ruthless when deciding who to sell.
| Jefte Rangers statistics | |
| Signed | May 2024 |
| Appearances | 56 |
| Goals | 1 |
The serious problem isn’t losing players like Jefte and banking a transfer fee from Palmeiras. It’s not being able to offload players like Jose Cifuentes because no-one is willing to match his Ibrox wages.
Neither Martin, Cavanagh, nor 49ers Enterprises can be blamed for this problem. It’s an issue they’ve inherited.
Martin needs to trim down his squad to balance the books and maintain a harmonious dressing room. If that means losing a couple of players who had the potential to improve, so be it.
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