Football is a unique type of business in that employees don’t always make decisions based around where they can make the most money.
If they did, Rangers wouldn’t have been able to sign players like Jermain Defoe or Jack Butland in recent seasons given the money that they could earn in England.
What Rangers offer these players is more regular game time, the chance to win trophies and the chance to play in European football, opportunities that could see one Premier League player jump ship for the SPFL.
Rangers face uphill Ben Johnson fight after West Ham intervention
Ben Johnson has been linked with Rangers for some time now and Nils Koppen is said to have offered the versatile defender the chance to head to Glasgow to kickstart his career.
West Ham United don’t want to lose the 24-year old and The Athletic has reported that a new five-year deal is on the table.
Speaking earlier this season, David Moyes made it clear that the Hammers didn’t want Johnson to leave:
“Well I don’t want Ben to go, but we offered Ben a contract maybe a year and a half ago or so and we’ve not been able to get to any point of agreement on it.
“But he’s a great boy, I really like him, I really hope he stays. He came through the youth system at West Ham and we certainly wouldn’t want to lose him if we can help it. But football’s got another side to it, you know contracts etc and making sure people are looked after.
“I had a good conversation with Ben at the end of last season about it and we really do want him to stay.”
Sterling proved money isn’t everything
West Ham will be able to offer more money than Rangers.
What is a top earner at Ibrox, is probably at the lower end of their pay scale for senior players at the London Stadium.
However, there is a reason why Johnson has been offered so many contracts and turned them down.
He is seen as no more than a backup without any guarantees of playing time.
For once, money doesn’t talk with respect and pride at the forefront of Johnson’s decision making.
Rangers wouldn’t pay Premier League wages to a player sitting on the bench or in the stands.
Dujon Sterling faced a similar crossroads last summer and, with his first senior goal coming against Benfica, he’s probably more than happy with the path he’s chosen to tread after rejecting Chelsea.
Johnson now finds him in the same situation, but will he make the same choice?
