Glasgow Rangers look set to have a busy summer on the transfer front as Philippe Clement looks set to undergo a complete rebuild at the Ibrox side.
The recent 2-1 defeat to Celtic in the Premiership has ended their hopes of claiming the title, but they do have the chance of redemption in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden in a few weeks.
What became clear during the match is that several first-team players have run their course for the Light Blues, especially the likes of John Lundstram and Borna Barisic, who delivered dismal performances in a game where a win was required.
This could see the Belgian bring in plenty of new faces this summer as he looks to kickstart a new era at the club.
A fresh update concerning a potential transfer target may well have given the 50-year-old a boost as he looks to make his first signing ahead of next season…
Rangers transfer news
According to the Athletic last month, Rangers reportedly held talks with the agent of Ben Johnson in order to secure his signature this summer.
His current deal with West Ham United expires this summer, which means he is free to chat with other clubs about signing for them.
The report stated that both Leeds United and Crystal Palace were keen on signing the defender, yet with Rangers playing in European competition and fighting it out for domestic prizes, they could certainly be in the driving seat.
Now, according to TEAMtalk, West Ham have made one final contract offer to Johnson in the hope that he will extend his stay at the London side beyond this summer.
However, the report goes on to say that the Englishman looks set to snub this offer in search of a new club in which he will be guaranteed more game time on the pitch.
Rangers, alongside Wolves, Everton, Leeds, and Palace are mentioned as potential destinations. Could Clement work his magic over the next couple of weeks and make Johnson his first signing of the summer?
If so, Johnson could become the latest player to move from the Premier League to Scotland. Judging by his potential, he could hopefully have a similar impact to that of Calvin Bassey.
The success story of Calvin Bassey
One thing that Clement must implement at the Gers is a proper player trading model. Since the club were promoted back to the top flight in 2016, only a handful of players have left which has secured big profits for the Ibrox side.
Bassey joined Rangers in the summer of 2020, costing only £250k from Leicester City due to cross-border compensation rules, and it certainly looked like a move which would benefit the Light Blues in the future.
15 appearances during a season where the Gers won their first league crown in a decade gave the supporters a glimpse of his talents, but the 2021/22 season saw Bassey emerge as a key player.
Injuries forced the youngster into a more unnatural centre-back position alongside Connor Goldson, and he went on to play 50 times in all competitions as the Gers reached the Europa League final, before going on to win the Scottish Cup a few days later.
When Ajax made an offer of around £23m, it was far too good to turn down, and he departed after just two years in Glasgow.
Johnson is also fairly flexible when it comes to operating in a few different positions, and despite being a couple of years older than the current Fulham star, his value could certainly increase if he gains consistent game time next season.
Why Ben Johnson would be a strong signing
Prior to this season, Johnson had played 87 times for West Ham since making his debut during the 2018/19 campaign.
The defender has featured in a wide range of positions, including right-back, left-back, centre-back, and even in a midfield role several times, showing his positional adaptability.
Throughout the current campaign under David Moyes, Johnson has made 22 appearances for the Irons, yet only seven of them have come from the starting XI as the manager has preferred Vladimir Coufal at right-back.
Accurate passes
15.4
Possession lost
8.6
Total duels won
2.6
Successful dribbles
0.8
Tackles
0.8
Via Sofascore
This lack of game time is the reason he wishes to leave, but West Ham will be losing a solid player from their squad when he departs.
Despite his lack of playing time, the Englishman has impressed in a few metrics when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues.
Indeed, he currently ranks in the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.47), the top 14% for aerials won per 90 (1.47) and the top 20% for total shots per 90 (0.98) over the previous 365 days.
This indicates that he has impressed while going forwards, while also shining when it comes to aerial duels, winning the majority of his battles in the air.
Former West Ham player Trevor Sinclair hailed the defender as “superb” back in 2021 when he was playing more regularly for the club, yet he has still shown glimpses of his abilities this term.
He may be averaging just 39 minutes per match in the top flight, but Johnson has used this limited game time to still recover 3.5 balls, win 2.6 total duels and succeed with 0.8 dribbles, all per game.
Of course, they aren’t the most earth-shattering statistics, yet Johnson has been forced to come off the bench and make an impact rather than impress from the very first whistle.
Clement’s budget will be uncertain until he moves a few players on during the summer transfer window, which means bringing in a few players for nothing could be a wise move in order to bolster his squad without spending anything on transfer fees.
The 5 foot 7 defender has the required attributes to shine in Scotland, all he needs is a chance in the starting XI to prove these to Clement, that’s for sure.
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