€30m worth of talent set to leave - Rangers begin summer clear out after poor season

The Scottish Premiership season may not be over just yet, but Rangers have already begun pushing ahead with important plans for the summer transfer window. On Tuesday, the club confirmed that no less than five first team players would be departing the club at the end of the season when their contracts expire, with more likely to follow them out the exit door if appropriate offers are forthcoming. 

Staff

M. Beale Age: 42

Rangers FC

Season 22/23 -
Premiership

Games

18

Won

15

Draw

1

Lost

2

1200 matches and €30m worth of talent set to leave

To kick off what will likely be a big transition season for the Glasgow club, Rangers confirmed that Allan McGregor, Filip Helander, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos will all be leaving the club when their contracts expire next month. Between them, the five senior players represent over 1200 matches for the club, along with a combined market value of just under €30 million. Kent and Morelos in particular were once considered talented, sellable stars and had market value highs of €17.5m and €15m respectively. 

However, while both forwards may have enjoyed notable high points at the Ibrox clubs - such as the run to last season’s Europa League final - Kent and Morelos have so far managed just 13 and 19 goals and assists respectively this season. Which is far less than was previously expected of both players at Rangers. And with no enticing offers for either players in recent seasons, they now depart on free transfers. 

Player Comparison

Scott Arfield

Filip Helander

Rangers FC

Rangers FC

€1.50m

Market Value

€3.00m

34

Age

30

Central Midfield

Position

Centre-Back

May 31, 2023

Contract until

May 31, 2023

Full Player Comparison

Of course, the aforementioned five players may not be the only ones to move on this summer. Club manager Michael Beale recently remarked on the departures by stating that the club planned on signing “exciting new players” as part of the summer rebuild, with an emphasis on new faces that would “energise with age and energy”. In other words, Beale wants a younger squad next season and that could spell the end for some other senior stars at Ibrox.

Perhaps the most obvious candidates are the handful of senior players that will be entering the final year of their contracts this summer and as such will offer Rangers one remaining opportunity to cash in on them. John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe and Ryan Jack are all already 30 or set to be that age by the end of next season, as well as having contracts that expire in 2024. But with a combined market value of just under €22m, Beale may be tempted to cash in on some of them to fund younger and more exciting players. 

Market Value

B. Barisic Left-Back

€6.50m

And new recruits already seem to be on their way. On Wednesday, Rangers confirmed the signing of former Norwich City attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell on a free transfer, signing the 25-year-old playmaker up to a three-year contract. Dowell follows on from the signing of Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin in the January transfer window, with Rangers making a clear emphasis on younger players. But whether that will be enough to challenge Celtic for the Scottish Premiership title next season remains to be seen.