Rangers fans have gotten sick and tired of high-earning English Championship-level footballers coming up short for the club.
After qualifying for the Champions League, Rangers’ wage bill swelled to the highest in Scotland and much of that was to do with a squad bulked out with average players from down south.
The money on offer in the Premier League is gargantuan compared to Scotland and as it filters down Rangers find themselves competing with Championship sides in terms of wages.
John Lundstram has been and gone, as has Kemar Roofe, but Rangers’ wage bill is still dominated by the underperforming Ben Davies, Tom Lawrence and Todd Cantwell et al.
Now, just as Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen steer the Ibrox club on a different transfer course, one Championship side’s captain who has been strongly linked to Rangers in the past has gone up for sale.
But has the Ibrox ship already sailed?
Laurent to leave Stoke?
Rangers were linked with a move for Josh Laurent during the midfielder’s time at Reading.
The Sun ran a report back in the summer of 2021 claiming that Laurent was a target for both the Ibrox side and Premier League club Brighton.
But as things transpired, Josh Laurent would eventually stick around at the Royals before securing a move to Stoke City a year later.
It’s been a productive spell too – Laurent was named Potters captain last summer following he appointment of Alex Neil as captain.
Despite this, a report in the Athletic is claiming that the 29-year-old midfielder is up for sale this window as he enters the final year of his contract.
Whilst it’s unclear what Stoke’s valuation of Laurent is, the report claims that the Potters are ‘fielding interest’ in the midfielder with clubs watching in the English Championship and Turkey.
Rangers adopt new transfer strategy
It’s been a while since Rangers were linked to Josh Laurent but we feel the latest news surrounding the Championship captain highlights the Ibrox side’s change of transfer direction.
The Gers have tried the route of talented Championship/Premier League promotion level footballers and it has burdened the club financially for little reward.
These players tend to come at the end of their careers – Laurent is 29 – on big contracts with little resale value and we’ve seen them tick those seasons away without reward for too long.
In have come a number of talented young players from emerging markets but it’s clear Rangers also have to strike a balance.
Philippe Clement is on the hunt for experience but it has got to be right for the club as Nils Koppen reflects on some very poor transfer decisions prior to his tenure.
Norwich City midfielder Kenny McLean continues to be linked to Rangers for example, so we don’t want to be accused of hypocrisy.
But many feel that’s a different situation given the Scotland star’s club loyalties.
Josh Laurent, used to earning big money for mid-table finishes in the English second tier, might even find the bright lights of Glasgow an attractive proposition.
But if Rangers are serious about evolving the club’s stagnant player trading model, perhaps this is exactly the kind of deal we should be avoiding.
