Philippe Clement, manager of Glasgow Rangers, faces a pressing challenge: selling players to fund a squad overhaul before the 2024/25 Premiership season kicks off.
With the opening match just two weeks away and Rangers set to travel to Edinburgh, Clement needs a strong start to compete with their title-favorite rivals.
Despite plans to offload surplus players like Sam Lammers and Scott Wright, they remain at the club as the deadline approaches.
As the transfer window continues, there’s still a chance for players like Sam Lammers and Scott Wright to be moved on, but attention is now shifting towards whether a more prominent member of the first team, like James Tavernier, might be the next to leave Ibrox.
A few months ago, former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard showed interest in signing Tavernier for Al-Ettifaq to bolster his squad. However, as time has passed, there has been no significant progress on this potential move, suggesting that the opportunity may have faded.
James Tavernier’s market value at Rangers
With the ball seemingly rolling on Tavernier’s exit from Rangers, the main question is, how much will Clement demand for one of his prized assets this summer?
He is in a position to charge a decent fee given his contract situation, plus the fact the Belgian urgently requires some more quality injected into his starting XI ahead of next season.
According to Football Transfers, James Tavernier’s current market value is €3.9m (£3.2m). Given that Tavernier will turn 33 in October, his value is likely to decrease over time.
With several players in the squad, like Nico Raskin, having higher market values, Rangers are in a solid position to make strategic decisions about their squad.
Nico Raskin’s season in numbers
Nicolas Raskin joined Rangers in January 2023 under Michael Beale, just before the transfer window closed. Over the remainder of the season, he made 16 appearances and showed promise as a potential key player for the club’s future under the new management.
Last season didn’t quite go as planned for Nicolas Raskin, largely due to injury issues that kept him out of 22 games. This disruption hindered his momentum after a promising start during his initial six months with Rangers.
Raskin managed only 13 Premiership starts last term and contributed just two goals. Despite this, he demonstrated quality when on the pitch, with an 85% pass success rate, creating two big chances, averaging 0.7 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game.
Defensively, Raskin excelled, winning 4.2 duels per game with a 53% success rate, making 2.3 tackles and recovering 5.3 balls per game in the league. His stats would likely have been even better had he been fully fit for the season.
A strong pre-season could help Raskin regain his form and secure a regular spot in Philippe Clement’s starting XI next season, potentially becoming a key player. His value has increased since joining Glasgow 18 months ago, which could make him a profitable asset for Rangers if they choose to sell him in the future.
Nico Raskin’s market value at Rangers
As of now, Nicolas Raskin is valued at €4.4 million (£3.7 million). This valuation is likely to increase if he returns to top form at the start of the next season.
The valuation of James Tavernier is £0.5 million more than his current worth, suggesting that although Steven Gerrard’s time at Ibrox was challenging, some of his signings, like Nicolas Raskin, proved to be valuable. With Rangers having recently added Connor Barron on a free transfer to strengthen the midfield—following the departures of John Lundstram and Ryan Jack—having a fit Raskin for upcoming matches against Hearts will be crucial.
Raskin, Barron, and Mohamed Diomande will compete for two midfield spots, making the competition intense and potentially enhancing their performances. Philippe Clement will likely seek to add at least one more player to this area before the transfer window closes, but how much he can raise through player sales in the coming weeks remains to be seen.
Given the need for future signings, Tavernier might be the first high-profile player to be sold this summer. Nonetheless, Rangers’ successful acquisition of Raskin, despite a tough 2023/24 season, is promising for the future.