It’s an important summer for Rangers as they look to make up some of the eight-point gap that determined the outcome of last year’s Scottish Premiership.
There were snippets throughout the season that showed Rangers could push Celtic all the way, but an unfortunate combination of lack of form and injuries meant they lost the momentum at the business end of the season.
Areas of Improvement
Philippe Clement’s men’s form against their biggest rivals will be a concern. Although no other team in Scotland could challenge Rangers, they lost all of their most important crunch matches against Celtic, including a defeat in the domestic cup finals.
There will be a bonus for several Rangers players who will be representing their national side in the Euros this summer as there’s an outside chance, according to the sportsbooks, that Scotland could climb out of the group—especially if they can get a result in the opening game against the German hosts. However, it is a tough ask.
The Euro Group stage standings will be interesting, especially if Scotland can scrape a draw against the hosts. This will put the Rangers international players in the squad, like Robby McCrorie and John Soutter, in good stead for next season, bringing big tournament experience back to Ibrox. However, it will be a decisive summer for Clement, and he has already put the feelers out to see which players will be available in the summer transfer market.
A Bigger Summer for the Belgian Boss
Clement will still be keen to add some fresh faces to the squad. The Rangers Board seems content with the Belgian’s towering presence in the dugout and has entrusted him with bolstering the squad in a bid to close the gap between them and Brendan Rodgers’ team.
Although his current contract takes him to 2027, you might think that a repeat of last season, where they fell short behind their biggest rivals, would put his position in jeopardy. This summer will be a crucial one for the Gers and Phillipe, and there are a number of talented players they’ve been linked with already this summer.
Will Sidibe Make the Switch Up North Next Year?
Stoke’s precocious midfield talent, Sol Sidibe, is the sort of player who could improve this Rangers squad. Although he’s only broken into Stoke City’s first team this season and also signed a long-term contract, he has mentioned that he wants to play consistent, regular first-team football. Rangers could offer him this opportunity, especially on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move. It’s clear that Clement is wasting no time strengthening key areas of the pitch, which will enable them to hopefully push Celtic a bit closer next season.
The Stoke City midfielder has just broken into the first team and has committed his future to the Championship team, so it’s unlikely that Rangers will make a permanent move for his services. Clement will likely explore the option of bringing him to Ibrox on a season-long loan to see how he gets on and then look to make a decision depending on how Sol settles.
The State of Play at Stoke City
Of course, the deal will need to benefit both sides; Stoke have already slapped an eight-figure price tag on their Dutch midfield maestro Wouter Burger. If a team in the Premiership can match this valuation, it could give them the financial flexibility to explore other midfield options, thus giving Sol the freedom to discuss a temporary or permanent move north of the border.
Alternatively, they could use these funds to strengthen other areas of their squad and promote Sol to a more permanent role in the starting eleven. However, most Stoke City fans believe it would be slightly premature for a player who has shown some early promise but still lacks big-game experience, so on paper, it could suit both teams.
Summary
Rangers are doing the right thing by looking to strengthen their midfield. With several weeks to examine the squad’s incomings and outgoings, it will be interesting to see how Clement navigates the transfer window this summer.
Managers will be keen to see how players perform in the Euros, and there are always bargains for the two big Scottish clubs when it comes to bringing in top talent on loan. Just a hop above the northern border and the promise of playing regular football in front of 45,000+ fans every weekend is an experience that many young players dream about. If Sidibe is joined by one or two other fresh faces at Ibrox, it could make next year’s Scottish Premier League race a lot more interesting.
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