Glasgow Rangers transfer business has been hit or miss over the previous few years under Philippe Clement, Michael Beale and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst.
These three managers have signed their fair share of dross. Notable names include Ben Davies, Sam Lammers, James Sands and Kieran Dowell, splurging big money on either transfer fees or wages to entice them to Ibrox.
Of course, there has been the odd success story since the Light Blues’ last Premiership title win in 2021, with young players such as Mohamed Diomande, Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala, who could all develop into stars that will generate major profits for the Ibrox side.
Despite the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the club in the transfer market since 2021, it hasn’t been nearly as bad compared to Pedro Caixinha’s spell in charge of the club…
Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers
The Portuguese manager will go down as one of the worst in the club’s history, with his record in the transfer market particularly bad.
Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Jack would go on to be vital players for the club under Steven Gerrard, but aside from those two, Caixinha wasted plenty of cash.
Indeed, Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera cost £2.2m and £1.5m respectively, a staggering sum at the time, especially considering progress in Europe was non-existent, and the club had spent just a year back in the top flight.
More money was splashed on Norwich City midfielder Graham Dorrans, who also cost the Light Blues around £1.5m, but this transfer was looked upon as a smart piece of business by Caixinha.
Player
Club signed from
Carlos Pena
Chivas
Eduardo Herrera
UNAM Pumas
Dalcio
Benfica (loan)
Alfredo Morelos
HJK Helsinki
Ryan Jack
Aberdeen
Fabio Cardoso
Vitoria Setebal
Bruno Alves
Cagliari
Graham Dorrans
Norwich
Daniel Candeias
Benfica
Declan John
Cardiff (loan)
Aaron Nemane
Man City (loan)
The move soon turned into a disaster.
Graham Dorrans’ Rangers stats
Former Gers boss Alex McLeish showered him with praise upon arriving in Glasgow, saying:
“He’s a good player. He’s stylish, he’s got the confidence and that’s exactly what that dressing room needs right now.
“He knows what it’s all about as a Rangers man, and it’s good to hear him say it’s a dream and that there’s never a bad time to play for Rangers. That’s a fantastic tribute to the club.”
Having made 142 appearances in the Premier League for Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, it was evident that Dorrans could add some steel to the Gers midfield.
Despite the hype generated on his arrival, enhanced even further when he scored twice against Motherwell in the opening game of the league season, it wasn’t long before the Scot suffered an injury.
Following five goals and two assists across his first ten domestic matches, the midfielder suffered an ankle injury which kept him out for the next six months, hampering the wonderful start he had at Rangers.
The 2018/19 season saw him make only three appearances, as a knee injury ensured he spent the majority of the campaign on the treatment table. Despite the lavish fee spent on Dorrans, it was clear the move didn’t work out, departing by mutual consent in 2019.
This month, Clement is keen on bringing a few players to Ibrox to bolster his squad. Much will depend on the budget he has available, suggesting moves will have to be made for those who could be available for nothing.
One player who has been linked with a move to Rangers is Allan Campbell, who is on loan at Charlton Athletic in League One.
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While the club need some reinforcements, a move for Campbell could see the Gers repeat their Dorrans mistake, especially as he doesn’t appear to have the attributes which would make a huge difference to the starting XI.
Rangers linked with move for EFL midfielder
As reported by Football Insider earlier this week, the Light Blues are one of the teams eyeing a swoop for Campbell, who is contracted to Luton Town.
Fellow Premiership clubs Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen are also showing interest in the midfielder, perhaps proving that he shouldn’t be on the radar of the Gers.
His contract expires this summer, which means Clement would be able to agree a pre-contract move for the Scot – or sign him immediately this month for a fee – but his performances recently suggest making a move shouldn’t be at the top of his list.
Allan Campbell’s statistics during his time in England
The 26-year-old made his mark at Motherwell, playing 160 times for the Steelmen before making the move to Luton Town in 2021.
He was heavily praised during his spell in Scotland by manager Graham Alexander, who said: “Without trying to sound like his dad, I love him to bits, he’s everything that a professional footballer should be.
“His dedication to the game, to his team, what he puts in, he gets out, and he should be a shining example for every pro that sees him work, really.”
During Luton’s promotion campaign in 2022/23, Campbell ranked in the bottom 85% for progressive passes (2.57), the bottom 62% for shots on target (0.86) and the bottom 71% for pass completion percentage (72.7%) when compared to his peers in the Championship. These statistics are worrying, especially if Clement is showing interest in the midfielder.
It is evident that he doesn’t offer much going forward, while his pass success rate is low, which means he wouldn’t get in the team ahead of the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin or Mohamed Diomande, who all average 87% or more in terms of passing domestically this term.
Since August 2023, Campbell has only played 28 times while out on loan, missing 15 matches due to injury in the process.
Overall, making a move for the Scot shouldn’t be high on the priority list for Clement, especially if he is looking to spend his modest budget on quality that will either improve the starting XI or on youngsters who can develop into excellent players.
Campbell is neither, and if the Gers do pursue a swoop, it could be a repeat of the deal that brought Dorrans north of the border all those years ago.
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