Worrying Ben Godfrey footage emerges from Rangers pre-season training in Spain
Ben Godfrey may have already fuelled his Rangers sceptics.
The 28-year-old arrived towards the end of last month on a season-long loan deal from Serie A side Atalanta.
He also spent the entirety of last season out on loan too, spending the first half of 2025-26 with Sheffield United before finishing the term with Danish outfit Brondby respectively.
With their defence letting them down during the Scottish Premiership post-split run-in last season, Godfrey is widely expected to land an instant starring role in the heart of Derek McInnes' backline.
However, things haven't gone to plan for him since leaving Everton in the summer of 2024 to join Atalanta, and he's not made more than 16 appearances in all competitions in a single season since 2023-24.
As a result, there is a considerable number of fans questioning his chances of success at Ibrox, and those fears will only grow larger based on some fresh pre-season evidence.
Why Rangers may not get Ben Godfrey's standout trait
Last Sunday (12 July) saw Rangers take on South African team Kaizer Chiefs in a behind closed doors friendly as part of their pre-season camp in Spain.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Kaizer Chiefs taking the lead in the 77th minute, before Findlay Curtis equalised with minutes to spare.
Godfrey started and played the full 90 minutes too, but judging from his role in Chief's goal, alarm bells may be ringing.
As captured in footage of the match shared to X via a user named Mastarmind, it shows Kaizer Chiefs launch a counter attack that resulted in their goal from a botched short corner routine by Rangers.
Godfrey can be seen trying to track back in pursuit of the Chiefs forwards alongside Clinton Nsiala, but the new signing isn't able to keep up with the speed of the break.
A fellow X user by the name of Isaac responded to the footage, saying: "Not loving this turn of pace from Ben Godfrey good grief."
Godfrey has dealt with some injury issues in recent years, but at 28, he's still in the prime of his career and is a relatively low mileage player given his lack of game time.
Therefore, it's this assessment of Godfrey's role in the goal that is key, as the defender has always seen his speed credited as one of his very best attributes.
Godfrey once described as able to 'catch pigeons'
Joining Everton in October 2020 in a £20million move from Norwich City, Godfrey was expected to be a big success on Merseyside.
His Toffees teammates were only all too keen to crown him as the quickest in their squad as well, as detailed in a September 2021 report via the Liverpool Echo.
"Ben Godfrey catches pigeons, simple as,” said now-PAOK defender Jonjoe Kenny at the time.
That's not hyperbole either, as current free agent midfielder Tom Davies would testify: “I did see him catch a pigeon once. In Florida he actually caught an alligator.”
Barcelona and England winger Anthony Gordon also backed Godfrey as the fastest in that Everton side, saying: “I think there’s a few up there.
"I’d put Dom (Calvert-Lewin). I’d put myself up there. Demarai (Gray) but I think Ben beats us all."
Clearly then, Rangers will have been expecting Godfrey to bring speed and athleticism to McInnes' defence, but now fears will grow that this won't be the case.
However, it is only the start of pre-season and getting up to speed is what these games are for, so hopefully by the time Rangers' campaign gets under way, he will be looking far sharper off the mark.