Rangers Manager Discusses High Stakes for Jack Butland | OneFootball

Rangers Boss Philippe Clement Reveals Every Player Has a Price, Including Jack Butland

Clement’s Bold Stance on Jack Butland

Philippe Clement, the manager of Rangers, has reiterated his stance that Jack Butland is not for sale. However, he also acknowledges that every other player in his squad, including captain James Tavernier and vice-captain Connor Goldson, has a price. The rumour mill has been rife with speculation about these key players potentially reuniting with former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia.

Photo: IMAGO

Clement dismisses these rumours as “fake news.” Nonetheless, he concedes that if a significant offer comes in for Tavernier and Goldson, Rangers will have to consider it. The Belgian manager is adamant that Butland is the exception, putting a £30 million price tag on the goalkeeper. This stance comes as Clement reiterates the necessity of selling before buying this summer.

Speculation and the Reality of Player Sales

Clement addressed the ongoing speculation about his players’ futures, particularly in Glasgow, where rumours abound. He said, “There is a lot of speculation in Glasgow – Fake news. But it is part of being in Glasgow. You cannot react to every fake news because then you’ll only be busy with that. All the speculation around them is the same speculation that you can have around every player. It is the same for us.”

Clement explained the balance needed in managing player sales and acquisitions. He emphasised that any sale must be balanced with the ability to replace the player adequately. “If there is somebody coming with the right amount of money we will see, we will discuss. But you always need to see and then you need to replace somebody and you need enough money to replace them to make it better, otherwise it is also of no use.”

The Value of Jack Butland

Clement’s most significant declaration was about Jack Butland, stating that he is irreplaceable at the moment. “I think there is only one player that is irreplaceable at the moment that I don’t think a team will pay the money that he is worth, for sure, and that is Jack Butland. Everybody knows what I think about that. Everybody who is here is part of my plans. It is like that.”

Clement highlighted the modern football fan’s misunderstanding, influenced by video games like PlayStation and Football Manager, that players can be easily replaced. He stressed the reality that these players have contracts and are integral to the team. “I don’t speak now about Connor and Tav, it is just in general, all over the world it doesn’t work that way. You always need to be with two parties. Every player falls into that category. Only Jack [does not]. If somebody comes with £30million or £40million you can replace him for that money. Every player falls into that category. We need money to replace him. If it is a good amount you can replace him and do something else. We will see.”

Photo: IMAGO

Future Plans for Tavernier and Goldson

Despite the speculation, Clement is clear that both Tavernier and Goldson are still very much part of his plans. Tavernier played nearly every game last season, while Goldson was a regular fixture until a knee injury sidelined him. Both players have featured in pre-season matches against Standard Liege and Ajax, indicating their ongoing importance to the squad.

However, Clement has also cautioned both men about the upcoming season. He indicated that they might spend more time on the bench to manage their game time and maintain top performance levels. “What I see is that they brought a lot to the club the last couple of years. That they did really good games with me. They also did games where it was less, like all the team. For me they maybe played too much last season or the last couple of years because if you play 60 games nobody is every time at his top shape. They have done all of that for the club, they worked really hard for that. They are not going to play 60 games the season to come now.”