Rangers first team squad list currently sits at 32 players, that’s not just two players for every position, that’s nearly three full teams – no wonder our wage bill is so high.
Of those 32, nine are out of contract but Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos would all have to be replaced if they left and Ryan Jack will probably be retained so, that takes us down to 27, Malik TIllman is also one of the nine so if we sign him permanently we are back up to 28 and the squad is still too big.
Nnamdi Ofoborh is still included, as is Kemar Roofe but neither are likely to make any impact given the severity of their injury issues, they are though, on the wage bill nonetheless.
It is not going to be an easy summer for Ross Wilson.
Michael Beale is fully aware of the size of the task at hand and has given an idea of how many players could be departing Ibrox, as reported by The Rangers Review:
“Sometimes when we recruited and paid good money, we didn’t always get the recipe that we wanted. Sometimes when we didn’t pay so much money, there are a lot of good players out there and it’s important we start that rebuild as soon as possible.
“At the moment we have started it in terms of the work we’re doing behind the scenes. But we know come the summer, it’s an interesting moment for the club in terms of changing the makeup of the group.
“I’ve sat in front of you before and said that I think 25 percent of the squad will turn over. I said that in one of my first meetings. I’m sticking by that, that’s still the case.”
It is players like Glen Kamara, John Lundstram, Scott Wright and Fashion Sakala that we need to move on, players that could bring in decent fees and who cost us almost nothing in terms of transfer fees, this is going to be the hardest task in the summer.
Freeing up the spaces in the first-team for new and better players who suit what Beale is trying to do – in Wilson we trust…..?
Why should we be trying to move on Lundstram ? He is a key member of the squad. We could potentially lose 14 players just by letting those out of contract and the non contributors like Matondo , Roofe and Wright go so why would we want to get rid of Lundstram as well. Oh and by the way we won`t get a significant fee for Wright . When you think about it , it is just as well we have that number of players on the books with 11 out injured at times we needed every one of them .Thats why if we reduce the size of the squad , the sicknotes have to be among the ones to go.