Ever since Rangers crashed out of the Champions League, the suggestion the Ibrox club need to sell one of their biggest assets in the transfer market has been a major talking point in the media.
Sandwiched in between Rangers’ forecasting of a £14.4m loss and the comments of Malmo manager Jon Dahl Tomasson before the spirit crushing defeat to his side, the murmurs have appeared to get louder as the week has continued.
That’s despite Steven Gerrard’s insistence – as per always – that the price needs to be right and Price of Football’s Kieran Maguire claiming player sales are “not essential” [This is Ibrox].
But could the suggestion Rangers are set to lose their top talents in Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara be quashed not by comments, but by the market itself?
New York Times journalist Tariq Panja was talking to an unnamed “director” at a club in a major European league regarding the state of the transfer market.
In these comments are something which plenty will have noticed about this window; it’s barely even begun to creak open.
The widespread frittering of millions across the Premier League and Europe has given way to a rather subdued market in the wake of Covid-19.
It’s something which Panja professes could be here to say as he claims those £5m-£20m transfer fees – which are the “life blood” of the market – are currently “frozen stiff”.
https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1426082123610460161
“Spoke to a director of a middle sized team in one of Europe’s big leagues this am,” tweets Panja.
“Says there is absolutely no liquidity in the market. Those 5m- 20m transfers that are the lifeblood of the transfer market are frozen stiff, nothing going on. Few at elite end, otherwise frees.
“This reckoning has been coming, pandemic has accelerated it massively.
“Now, what will future player contracts look like? Will they factor in market contraction? Clubs stuck with players they don’t want on wages they can’t pay.
“And of course loan signings. Clubs desperately trying to get players out any way they can.
“But, football will be played, goals will be scored, games will be won and lost. Behind all the mayhem, there’s a simple sport that has been unnecessarily messed up.”
Given Rangers’ insistence they have no interest in selling themselves short, could it be a static transfer market rather than a willingness to sell which sees the Gers retain their top talent this summer?
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard admits he’s not “naïve” when it comes to the club’s transfer limitations amid claims sales are “inevitable”.
