Interim Rangers chairman John Gilligan insists manager Philippe Clement will have money to spend in January.
The Rangers chief was speaking as part of a series of special interviews in the press this week surrounding his new role at the top of the club.
Insisting that the club’s finances are on solid ground, Gilligan sent a clear message about Rangers’ ambitions in the transfer market.
With Rangers coming through a summer of chaos, Philippe Clement had to rebuild the squad on a shoestring budget whilst the club’s botched upgrade of the Copland Stand contributed to a premature Champions League exit.
Speaking to the press after Gilligan’s comments, Clement has also hinted that not all is as it appears with regards Rangers’ summer transfer budget.
Philippe Clement ‘happy’ to hear transfer pledge
First, here’s what Gilligan told the press when asked about the club’s January transfer plans.
“There will be [money for Clement to spend in January],” said Gilligan.
“I think with any manager at any football club, if you can sell and make a profit then it helps with the buying.
“It doesn’t depend on it but it certainly adds to it and helps with the whole opportunity of improving.
“We keep talking about the player trading model because ideally we want to be able to bring in players and get them to play properly for the team and do well, but hopefully we sell them on and reinvest.
“We’ll have accounts coming out quite soon and at the AGM, it will become apparent that the financial sustainability is solid.”
Clement, facing the press ahead of Rangers’ Europa League clash with Malmo, was then asked questions about Gilligan’s comments.
Interestingly, the Rangers manager suggested that the club may yet shed some light on the situation in the background of Ibrox which had a damning impact on the club’s transfer budget.
At the same time, Clement hailed the Ibrox recruitment team for the work done in the summer.
“I was happy to hear that,” said Clement. “It’s important and it’s necessary (to hear it).
“It was not easy in the summer. We talked about that.
“Maybe the people in the club will talk about that later on in the next couple of months also, about that situation.
“So of course as a manager you hope to get more funds in to do the right thing for the club.
“But with the resources that were there, I think everybody starts to see that a lot of good things have been made.
“And it’s now interesting to work with that and to focus on that and then of course to plan towards January, what we’re doing already.
“And to plan towards next summer. We’re also busy with that.
“But that’s our job and with recruitment to do, it’s important to have also money to do the right things for the club of course.”
Rangers manager hints at £9.5m transfer challenge
In what can only be described as a perfect storm at Ibrox this summer, a number of factors contributed to what was a challenging few months at the club.
Philippe Clement has been outspoken about the club’s Ross Wilson-era contract model, which saw five once-key players move on for nothing at the end of their contracts.
They had to be replaced.
Rangers were also tasked with cutting the club’s wage bill, with the end result of 16 players going out and 11 coming in chopping costs by between £8m and £10m per annum (Joshua Barrie).
Rangers also had to reinstate the club’s failing player trading model, something described as ‘mythical’ by outgoing chairman John Bennett, and focus heavily on securing a number of young talents.
Throw in CEO James Bisgrove taking a job in Saudi and the bungling relocation to Hampden Park and suddenly you begin to see the pressure Clement was under this summer.
Many Rangers fans were still left wondering why the club has such a shoestring budget despite increased commercial revenues and consistent Europa League runs.
But was Philippe Clement referring to the small matter of the Elite court battle which threatened to take the club for £9.5m this summer?
Back in August, Rangers settled the dispute with Hummel out of court and something tells us the figure will shine a light on the Ibrox club’s summer dealings.
