Exclusive: Whelan wowed by sensational £170m Rangers transfer reveal | OneFootball

Noel Whelan has heralded Rangers for managing to increase revenue and boost their squad value significantly under Steven Gerrard.

The former Aberdeen and Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, has insisted the Glasgow giants have gone about their business in the right way after their recently-published accounts showed an 11 per cent increase in income.

The Gers have also managed to improve the prospective transfer value of their players, with the Athletic reporting the squad, which is rated as the 47th-best in the world, is valued at approximately £170million.

The study, conducted by football data analysis firm 21st Club, states that Rangers’ three highest-valued players – Ryan Kent, Connor Goldson and Alfredo Morelos – are priced at £18million, £16million and £13million respectively.

Whelan has lauded over the Ibrox decision-makers for their leadership and insisted they have gone about things in the right way to get back to the top of Scottish football.

Whelan told Football Insider: “During these times you got to manage money properly and look, they haven’t gone out and spent money like Celtic have over the last three to four years so they’re very new to this and have built it in the right way.

“It’s not just banging a house up straight away in one day, they’re building it brick by brick and bringing other players in. Some free contracts in Jermain Defoe, bringing that experience in there, (Steven) Davis in there as well along with young players but players that have not cost an arm and a leg.

“Players he (Gerrard) knows that he can improve and in two years time will be worth £20million. Look at Ryan Kent, he came from Liverpool, he knew what it was all about, he wanted to come and play for Steven Gerrard because it’s Steven Gerrard.

“He knew that he’d progress underneath him and then straight away you got an £18million asset there.”

In other Rangers news, Alan Hutton has been left drooling over “brilliant” Ibrox ace who was “under threat” of the axe.