In recent transfer windows, Glasgow Rangers have needed to bolster their roster through a good number of free transfers. With only two cup events won subsequently, the Light Blues have fallen behind Celtic domestically as a result of their inability to build on their Premiership success of 2020–2021. Steven Gerrard might have received significant financial benefits from qualifying for the Champions League group stages in the 2021–2022 season, which could have changed the direction of Scottish football.
Sadly, the Gers were unable to reach the land of milk and honey. They did reach the Europa League final in 2022, but Philippe Clement will have his job cut out for him this summer after players like Michael Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst squandered money on several expensive busts.
Although the team has had a challenging transfer window since the summer of 2021, there have lately been a few surprise acquisitions that have not required a transfer fee for the club. The latest free transfer additions to Rangers
Last summer, Beale poured a lot of cash on bringing Danilo, Sam Lammers, and Cyriel Dessers to Glasgow in the hopes that they would be able to bridge the gap left by players like Alfredo Morelos.
Only Dessers has showed true Ryan Kent and consistency this year, scoring 22 goals across all competitions, meaning that about £15 million was squandered.
| Notable free transfers Rangers have made since 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Previous club | Year joined |
| Jack Butland | Crystal Palace | 2023 |
| Dujon Sterling | Chelsea | 2023 |
| Leon Balogun | QPR | 2023 |
| John Souttar | Hearts | 2022 |
| Tom Lawrence | Derby County | 2022 |
| John Lundstram | Sheffield United | 2021 |
| Fashion Sakala | KV Oostende | 2021 |
| Steven Davis | Southampton | 2019 |
| Jermain Defoe | AFC Bournemouth | 2019 |
| Via Transfermarkt | ||
Several players will surely have to be
Clement will undoubtedly need to let go of a few players when the summer transfer window opens in order to give himself some wiggle room to add more players to his playing roster in time for the 2024–2025 season. The Belgian may have to concentrate much of his transfer business on players who won’t fetch a fee, though, if the buyers aren’t there.
Even though Beale’s tenure as Light Blues manager was chaotic for ten months, he did show his market acumen when players like Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun became free agents with the team last summer. But his most crucial move was to entice Jack Butland over the line; the Englishman was unquestionably the signing of the year.
Jack Butland’s arrival at Rangers
Beale was given the task of reconstructing the team in anticipation of the 2023–24 season in the hopes that Rangers would be able to challenge Celtic for the league title following yet another disappointing domestic campaign. Beale handled the players’ mass departure from Ibrox, and nine new players joined the Light Blues. Among the first players to go from the team was Allan McGregor. The Scot played in nearly 500 competitive games over the course of two different stints with the team, but in his final two seasons, he started making a few mistakes, and it became obvious that retirement was in order.
Beale needed to add a ‘keeper who he could count on between the posts if he was to develop a strong core for his revamped Rangers, but trading for Butland was a risk. Following the commencement of the 2021–2022 season, the former Stoke City number one had only made 15 appearances. Last season, he missed 16 games due to a broken finger. After his contract with Crystal Palace expired, Beale swiftly acquired him in what was maybe his best transfer deal during his brief tenure as the Ibrox side’s manager.
After his contract with Crystal Palace expired, Beale swiftly acquired him in what was maybe his best transfer deal during his brief tenure as the Ibrox side’s manager.
Jack Butland’s Rangers statistics
First off, this season Butland has made 56 appearances for the Gers, giving up 49 goals while keeping 25 clean sheets.
If we limit that to only Premiership games, the Englishman has participated in 37 league games, conceding 29 goals and maintaining 18 clean sheets. Butland has been crucial to the Light Blues this season; when compared to other goalkeepers in the top division, he has kept the most clean sheets while making the third-most runs out.
The goalie isn’t the reason Rangers lost the league; rather, it was the defensemen in front of Butland’s inability to stop careless mistakes in the biggest games. Gareth Southgate must be keeping a watch on Butland as he looks to book a ticket to Germany for Euro 2024, which is quickly approaching. Clement expressed his belief that he is prepared back in February. “England will be among the favorites to win [Euro 2024], so that says enough if people are talking about joining the England squad.
It is the decision of Mr Southgate. He knows all the other goalkeepers, I don’t watch all these games, so I cannot make comparison, but I can say one thing, Jack is totally ready – every game he is proving that.”
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