As the signing of Lyall Cameron from Dundee proves, Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen are very much signing from the same hymn sheet as far as Rangers’ transfer strategy goes.
Ibrox’s technical director has prided himself so far upon a host of intelligent, low-cost bargain signings from overseas – Nils Koppen views Jefte and Hamza Igamane as examples of the value that can be found in lesser-used markets – but this does not mean Rangers will no longer scour the domestic scene for the best local talent.
The Glasgow giants snapped up Connor Barron from Aberdeen last summer.
Rangers have agreed to bring Lyall Cameron in from Dundee in similar circumstances 12 months on, meanwhile, the Scotland Under-21 international reportedly setting the club back around £400,000 in compensation.
Koppen feels Cameron is a ‘hugely important’ addition for Rangers. Not only because of what he can bring on the pitch – a reliable goalscorer from midfield, a powerful runner and one of the Premiership’s finest creators – but also because of what he represents.
Philippe Clement explains why Rangers signed Lyall Cameron
“I’m very happy. It’s part of our plans that we have with the club to develop young Scottish players or to get young Scottish players with potential,” Clement agrees, while praising Cameron’s ‘really good’ goal return from the centre of the park.
With eight already, Cameron has scored more than Rangers’ current midfield trio of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande combined across 2024/25.
“Those are really good stats. [And] he has the right mentality, he really wants to come to the club. We had enough talks with him that he understands what Rangers is. And, of course, Scottish players know it more.”
Former Dundee manager James McPake thinks Lyall Cameron has the ‘elite’ mentality required to thrive at Rangers. Cameron, after holding extensive discussions with the 22-year-old dynamo, was left with a very similar impression.
Clement confident Dundee star brings the right mindset to Ibrox
“We’re looking for that kind of character; Not only good players but also players who can cope with what it is to be a Rangers player and to have the right mentality,” the Belgian explains. “Lyall showed that in the talks.
“[Signing more homegrown players] is a clear strategy from the club. It’s important that these young players get chances to develop at this level, and we want to try to help and to push with that.
“We will get to know the player really well. I want that he performs really well at Dundee [for the remainder of the season] because, otherwise, it shows also that mentality can drop really fast. I don’t have any doubts with Lyall Cameron around those things.
“Lyall will give his best for Dundee. That’s also what I expect from him to do. If the player wants to go on holiday now for four months because he [is joining] Rangers, that would be a really bad sign towards me.
“And he would not be fit also.”
Fortunately, as anyone who has worked with Lyall Cameron even for the shortest of periods will attest to, this is not the sort of player to take his eye off the ball in any sense.
