Ibrox Noise
·27 July 2024
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Yahoo sportsIbrox Noise
·27 July 2024
With the effective sales and exits of Sam Lammers, Connor Goldson and Jose Cifuentes 99% done, and to be followed by Ianis Hagi and Todd Cantwell, the state of Rangers’ squad is somewhat in flux at present.
Ibrox Noise takes you through a full(ish) roundup of who’s going, who’s staying and what the current squad shape is looking like.
So, we know the above five are going or gone. Scott Wright is another around whom there are varying reports, we are not going to guess whether or not the winger is actually staying or leaving. He seems, yet again, to be a manager favourite and we have a nagging feeling he isn’t going anywhere despite all the speculation and claims.
We did, of course, ship out Robby McCrorie, Kieran Wright, Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe at the start of the window, and now Sam Lammers has definitely joined them alongside Johnly Yfeko, with Goldson and Cifu following. Hagi and Cantwell will also move on.
Loanees Abdallah Sima and Fabio Silva left as well…
We’re aware also of the massive interest in James Tavernier, but he played in Birmingham and while there’s apparently a tug of war over him, he’s still at Rangers for now.
Incoming?
Liam Kelly, Clinton Nsiala, Jefte, Connor Barron, Vaclav Cerny, and Hamza Igamane.
So this leaves Rangers’ squad now looking like thus (inc any injuries):
Jack Butland, Liam Kelly, Lewis Budinauckas, James Tavernier, Adam Devine, Dujon Sterling, Leon Balogun, Leon King, John Souttar, Clinton Nsiala, Ben Davies, Robbie Fraser, Jefte, Ridvan, Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande, Nico Raskin, Kieran Dowell, Tom Lawrence, Alex Lowry, Oscar Cortes, Scott Wright, Vaclav Cerny, Rabbi Matondo, Cyriel Dessers, Hamza Igamane and Danilo.
We’ve completely given up with Sterling being played in his best slot in midfield, he will be utility under this manager.
As for the squad in general – it has glimpses of quality. Two good goalies, Balogun and Souttar are solid, Ridvan we like, Barron and Dio show good signs and Raskin had regained form before injury, while we also appreciate Cortes and Cerny.
There’s nuggets of good, even very good in here.
But there’s just not enough.
Sterling appears to be gettig used as RB again and he’s just not a RB, while we know James Tavernier can’t defend for manure. So that area is terrible. Playmaker too is bad – Tom Lawrence hasn’t convinced in two years, and we don’t think he ever will, while wings are a little better now with Cortes and Cerny.
But up front is hideous. We basically don’t have a striker.
It all still falls a bit short.
BUT it is better than it was.
We’ve trimmed so much dead wood, saved a tonne on wages and are getting in serious transfer fees for these guys, while finally getting in a decent piece or two in the window.
It is taking tentative shape.
We just don’t know how much more we can get done before Hearts.