Philippe Clement laments 'crazy situation' in Rangers transfer plans

​Philippe Clement hopes to see an improved transfer model at Rangers as he bemoaned the "crazy situation" where five players are out of contract in the summer.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Wire).Rangers manager Philippe Clement. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Wire).
Rangers manager Philippe Clement. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Wire).

First-team players Leon Balogun, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe will all go at the end of the season unless they are offered and accept new deals by the Ibrox club.

The sale of players such as defender Calvin Bassey to Ajax and midfielder Joe Aribo to Southampton - both in 2022 - and Glen Kamara to Leeds last summer has brought in over £30million, although the Govan club did not cash in on the likes of former attackers Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos when they were in top form.

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The Gers boss has only brought in Portuguese striker Fabio Silva on loan from Wolves so far in the January transfer window.

Clement said ahead of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup fourth-round tie at Dumbarton - with a pitch inspection planned for 1PM Saturday: "We have our plan and I feel that everybody is aligned, that the club really wants to make an effort to do things inside of the budget. This season to have five players out of contract is a crazy situation because you throw away money. They have no value any more if the contract is ended.

"I know that we are not the most wealthy club in the world. We want to get transfers in that can have an impact now but also can have added value for the next couple of years on the field and selling them for bigger amounts. If you look at the last couple of years, this is one thing that the club has missed. They didn't have big outgoing transfers and because of that, not getting money in to do other things.

"That is one of the targets, strange as it is for a manager to talk about that but I want to help in that way so the club can grow in every sense. I would prefer to buy Fabio but he was too expensive, that is why it is a loan now.

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"It is getting a good balance in the squad, good experienced players and also young prospects that you can let grow to a higher level than Glasgow Rangers. That is the objective. And you need to have players who are in contract.

"So there is a lot of work to be done in that way, everybody in the club is working hard in that way to have clear vision of how to bring money into the club by developing players but getting results also, winning trophies. You don't have the situation where you have players of value going free at the end of contract - it can never happen."

Clement was again asked to comment on Ridvan Yilmaz, who reportedly said that he wants to leave Rangers for Galatasaray. The Ibrox manager insisted the 22-year-old Turkey left-back was committed to the cause.

He said: "If he was not committed he would never have played against Hertha or Copenhagen (friendlies). He is committed to the club and what he has to do here, otherwise he would not be on the pitch.

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"Until now I don't have the feeling from any player that they are jumping to leave the building. I feel everyone is really involved in the club and what is going on here but it doesn't mean that it can't change tomorrow."

Rangers begin their cup campaign with a trip to League Two side Dumbarton but Clement is unhappy about The Sons' "really bad" pitch.

He said: "It is what it is but I don't want excuses for playing.

"Is it a good way for football to have those circumstances? Maybe not, but we are not the one who decides the rules so we are playing the game and we will do our best to make it as good as possible."

Ben Davies, Roofe, Kieran Dowell and Danilo are all out with various injuries, while Abdallah Sima is on international duty with Senegal.