A sign-low, sell-high transfer policy has worked wonders for Celtic over the years, and it appears that Glasgow neighbours Rangers are ready to take their slice of the pie.
While Celtic’s recent success has been aided substantially by their recruitment model – bringing in huge sums for the likes of Matt O’Riley, Jota and Moussa Dembele while reinvesting that money into the playing squad – Rangers‘ business in the market has often left a lot to be desired.
Only one player in the club’s history has left Ibrox for a fee over the £20 million mark. That was Calvin Bassey, following his switch to Ajax in 2022.
Furthermore, Rangers have made considerable losses in recent times on so many first-team players.
Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Filip Helander, Glen Kamara and co could all have been sold for considerable fees but instead left for nothing. Todd Cantwell, Sam Lammers, Cedric Itten, Nikola Katic and more also left for lower sums than they signed for.
But with technical director Nils Koppen casting his net further and wider in pursuit of lesser-spotted bargains from lesser-utilised markets, Rangers finally appear to be onto something good in the market.
Jefte must improve one thing if he leaves Rangers for Chelsea
While Philippe Clement would be loathe to lose Hamza Igamane already, Rangers legend Barry Ferguson thinks the striker is already worthy of an eight-figure sum. Alongside Ligue 1 outfit Stade Reims, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are sniffing around Igamane.
Chelsea have taken note of left-back Jefte, meanwhile. A Brazilian youngster who joined Rangers for a reported £400,000 and could yet leave, just one year on, for a pretty staggering profit.
Craig Moore, a six-time Scottish Premiership champion at Ibrox between 1995 and 2003, has watched Jefte bounce back from a difficult start to become a nailed-on member of Clement’s preferred XI.
The Australian icon does feel, however, that the defensive side of Jefte’s game would need to improve substantially if he is to cross the border and join one of the most expectant, ambitious teams in English football.
“Jefte has come in and I know he has taken a little bit of stick at times for not defending well enough,” Moore tells Go Radio. “That is an area of his game, certainly at that next level, Premier League level, that he needs to be better.
“But I can understand why [Chelsea might want him]. I don’t know if it is genuine, but I can understand why there would be interest in Jefte.
“He’s come in and done a decent job. He looks as if he is willing to learn, shows a good attitude and covers the whole left side and is of a decent age. [But] Chelsea would be a huge step up.”
Marcio Maximo not surprised to see Jefte shine at Rangers
Jefte’s ‘brilliant’ recent form has had many a critic apologising for writing off the former APOEL Nicosia loanee so early – take Gordon Dalziel for instance – but Moore’s warnings feel especially prescient following his late error in last week’s heartbreaking Europa League defeat at Manchester United.
Jefte was blamed for Bruno Fernandes’ 92nd minute winner at Old Trafford, switching off at the crucial moment as the United skipper ghosted in to convert Lisandro Martinez’s pinpoint cross.
With Chelsea pursuing a return to the Champions League, and manager Enzo Maresca one of the more ruthless operators in English football, similar mistakes will not be tolerated for long at Stamford Bridge.
“When Rangers signed Jefte last summer, I had no doubt that he would take his chance to shine,” a confident Marcio Maximo tells the Scottish Sun, the Brazilian former Livingston boss delighted by his compatriot’s progress in Glasgow.
“That is what has happened, and it’s only natural that clubs from bigger leagues are now looking at him. Jefte is 21 and has great potential. He is quick, physically strong, and very good in an attacking sense.
“There are still aspects of his game he has to improve, but he is tall and has the pace to be a full-back at a very high level.
“When I look at British football, I think that Scotland is the best step for players who want to be in the Premier League. He is adapting to British football, and I believe he will be in England one day soon.
“His technical ability has always been really good, but being in Scotland will help him improve on the physical side.”
