Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement has not been afraid to make plenty of changes to his playing squad since the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Belgian boss failed to guide the club to the Scottish Premiership title and is now looking to work with the head of recruitment at Ibrox to build a team that can secure the trophy next term.
Seven signings have already been made by Rangers, with Jefte, Connor Barron, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, and Hamza Igamane penning deals in Glasgow.
Their desire to bring in new recruits to bolster their options across the park meant that players needed to move on from Ibrox, and John Lundstram, Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack all departed as free agents at the end of May.
They may not be the only ones to move on from Ibrox before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as other first-team stars have been linked with transfers elsewhere in recent weeks.
Attacking midfielder could leave Rangers
Football Scotland recently reported that attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell could be moved on this summer if an acceptable offer comes in for his services.
The outlet named him alongside Kieran Dowell and Tom Lawrence as one of the players who Rangers may want to cash in on to make room for new signings.
Earlier this month, The Scottish Sun claimed that Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah are keeping tabs on his situation at Ibrox ahead of a potential swoop for his services.
That report went as far as to say that the former Norwich City playmaker will be allowed to move on from Glasgow during the current transfer window, but did not reveal whether or not the Saudi Arabian club are prepared to formalise their interest with an offer for his services.
Cantwell has also been offered to Italian side Lecce by his agent Jose Enrique, who had – incredibly – accidentally messaged a fan page instead of the Lecce head coach in an attempt to facilitate a transfer.
All of these reports come together to suggest that there is a decent chance that the former England U21 international will be plying his trade away from Scotland by September, given the interest in his services and the club's reported desire to move him on.
It will then be down to Koppen and Clement to replace Cantwell and that could be a hard task given his contributions in the 2023/24 campaign.
What Todd Cantwell brings to Rangers
The 26-year-old playmaker is an energetic and forward-thinking midfielder who thrives as a number ten who has the license to drift around into various positions to knit play together.
He is reliable in possession, with an 84% pass success rate in the league last season, and has the quality on the ball to make things happen in the final third.
Appearances
30
Goals
7
Assists
5
Big chances created
7
Key passes per game
1.7
As you can see in the table above, Cantwell chipped in with 12 direct goal contributions in 30 appearances in the Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign.
This shows that he has the ability to provide a presence as a scorer and a creator of goals in a number ten position for the Light Blues, as he has already proven himself in the division.
That also came after the ex-Norwich ace produced six goals and four assists in 16 league games under Michael Beale during the second half of the 2022/23 season.
Despite his evident ability on the pitch as an attacking force in the top-flight, Rangers and Clement are seemingly willing to allow him to move on.
It appears to be a bold and brave call on paper and that makes finding an adequate replacement for him all the more important, to show fans that things are moving in the right direction.
Rangers could land dream Todd Cantwell replacement
Clement could land a dream successor to Cantwell in the number ten position by securing a deal to sign reported target Bobby Clark from Liverpool.
DaveOCKOP claimed earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the mix to land the 19-year-old sensation on loan from the Premier League giants.
RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, and Norwich City are also said to be interested in a swoop to land the former Newcastle United youngster for the 2024/25 campaign.
The teenage whiz could be a dream replacement for Cantwell as his form for Liverpool at youth and senior level suggests that the potential is there for him to provide an attacking threat whilst also being solid out of possession.
Appearances
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Pass accuracy
90%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.5
Duel success rate
82%
Whilst it was a small sample size, Clarke's performances in the Europa League last season offered a glimpse at what he could offer Rangers, with two goal contributions and a dominant 82% duel success rate in two games.
This, alongside his four tackles and interceptions and 63% duel success rate in one EFL Trophy game last term, suggests that he is a talented technician who can also be combative and aggressive in duels.
At youth level, Clark racked up five goals and six assists in 37 games for Liverpool's U21s and 13 goals and five assists in 27 outings for the U18s, which shows that the potential is there for him to offer quality as a scorer and a creator of goals – like Cantwell.
The young maestro, who made five Premier League appearances last term, could, therefore, be a fantastic attacking midfielder for Clement due to his ability to make an impact in and out of possession – keeping the team's shape solid whilst remaining creative on the ball.
Clark, who was described as "very impressive" by journalist Josh Bunting, could also be a relatively cheap signing as a loan, rather than splashing millions on a permanent addition, and that is another reason why he could be a dream replacement for Cantwell.
Rangers could brilliantly replace Lundstram in swoop for SPFL "machine"
The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central midfielder.
ByDan EmeryJul 16, 2024
