Rangers look set to sell Todd Cantwell to Blackburn Rovers as Philippe Clement finally gets his wish.
The 26-year old playmaker handed a transfer request in when he returned to pre-season training and, having overcome the final hurdle of agreeing personal terms, is heading to the Championship.
The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon site, has been at the front of the story throughout the speculation and claims that Todd Cantwell is taking a pay cut to force through the transfer.
Todd Cantwell to leave Rangers with Blackburn deal imminent
Heart and Hand reported that the fee was in region of £600,000 with Nixon confirming a similar price tag of £500,000.
In short, not a lot for a player once valued at £40-50m and who had Bayern Munich chasing his signature.
The former Norwich City talisman starred in the Premier League but now finds himself at a club who have been fighting relegation more than they have been challenging at the top end of the table.
Last chance saloon? Not quite, but he needs to show the sort of maturity and consistency that has been missing previously.
Philippe Clement would have wanted more money to spend on his squad, however, freeing up a reported £22,000 per week plus bonuses will give the manager a lot to play with.
Clement won’t care about how much Cantwell has been sold for
What is clear, is that the Gers boss has nothing to do with the pounds shilling and pence:
“If people leave, we need other people. In it is clear. Otherwise, we’re short in that position,” Clement said during a recent press conference, broadcast on Rangers’ YouTube channel.
“I don’t know which bids come in. I really don’t know, because I’m not interested in that. I’m busy with the squad, with the team.
“There’s no reason for me to know every bid that comes in for a player or for what amount, because I’m not at the end the one who makes the decisions about the money in the club.”
As the gaffer says, all he will be interested in is getting a new number 10 who better suits his system and philosophy.
It is now a priority position even if it looks like Ianis Hagi could stay at Ibrox following a post on social media and claims that he has been seen with the first-team training group at Auchenhowie.
A player capable of the levels that Todd Cantwell displayed at times for Rangers would be ideal but with a greater consistency and less baggage.
