Glasgow Rangers could end the season with a treble, or if they stumble in the next few games, with just a single League Cup to their name.
Of course, being in a Premiership title race with just four matches remaining looked highly unlikely when Philippe Clement breezed through the Ibrox doors in October, which is surely testament to his managerial abilities.
Given how much effort the Light Blues have exerted to reel Celtic in, it looks as though their poor results over the previous few weeks could suggest they are just pipped to the post.
Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, Clement will be taking a long hard look at his squad and culling it as he sees fit.
This could see a large volume of transfer activity occurring when the transfer window finally opens in a few weeks, allowing him to bring his own targets to the club.
With this in mind, it appears as though the club could still be interested in a player who was linked with a move last summer…
Rangers transfer news
Under Michael Beale, signings came thick and fast last summer as he sought to beef up his first team squad ahead of the current season.
In total, nine new signings were made in a bid to build a side good enough to end Celtic’s recent dominance, but the early weeks of the season were far from impressive.
Beale had a few centre-backs in mind, yet only signed Balogun. One name that had been linked with a move to Rangers as far back as January 2023 was long-term target, Dion Sanderson.
This interest doesn’t appear to have gone away heading into the upcoming window. According to the Daily Record, Sanderson is still a player of interest to the Glasgow side as Clement aims to rebuild his team.
He was recently stripped of the captaincy and according to Football League World, City could be looking for a fee in the region of £2m – what they paid out to sign him – in order for any club to secure his services this summer.
Could he be an ideal replacement for Connor Goldson? Who is set to miss the rest of the season due to an injury sustained in training.
Connor Goldson’s statistics for Rangers this season
When speaking to the media ahead of the clash against Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon, Clement delivered an injury update, saying that "he will be out for the rest of the season", while also describing it as a "big blow".
Season
Games
Goals
2023/24
48
0
2022/23
38
3
2021/22
61
4
2020/21
56
8
2019/20
52
4
2018/19
54
4
The defender currently has two years left on his contract, but his form in recent weeks was certainly subpar to the standards that the Ibrox faithful have come to expect from the Englishman.
Against Ross County, the Gers conceded three goals and the defence was at fault, while the former Brighton defender has been suspect to plenty of long balls over the top this term, especially against Aberdeen.
Until his injury, the 31-year-old had played 48 times for the Light Blues this season, adding the League Cup to his list of domestic honours.
Among his teammates, Goldson currently ranks third for accurate passes per game (60.1) along with ranking second for accurate long balls per game (5.6), yet with the title on the line, his performances in recent weeks saw him dropped from the starting XI for the Scottish Cup semifinal against Hearts.
If Clement receives an offer for Goldson – who has been linked with a reunion with Steven Gerrard – this summer that is too good to turn down, will he take it? Especially as it looks as though he is starting to deteriorate as a player.
Why Dion Sanderson could be a dream Goldson replacement
The 24-year-old started off his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers but made just one senior appearance for the Old Gold during his spell there.
He spent several seasons out on loan, which included two temporary spells at Birmingham, before sealing a permanent move there last summer in order to establish himself in the Championship.
Last season, Sanderson played 31 games in the second tier, showcasing his defensive abilities for the club. Not only did he win four total duels per game – a success rate of 54% – but he also helped his side keep eight clean sheets while making 1.6 tackles per game.
This season, the defender has played 36 games while losing possession just 6.2 times on average, while helping the club keep nine clean sheets, once again demonstrating how important he is to them.
Hailed as a “Rolls Royce” by his former manager at Sunderland, Lee Johnson, the 6 foot 2 titan has plenty of experience down south and could be a solid option for Clement to call upon next term.
Goldson has made over 300 competitive appearances for the Light Blues since joining back in 2018, becoming one of Gerrard’s first-ever signings.
He has won everything there is on offer during his time in Scotland, along with helping the Gers reach the 2022 Europa League final, their first major European final in 14 years.
If Clement wishes to take his side to the next level, however, perhaps stripping it down and selling off some of the parts is the only way to go, especially with his form dropping this season.
It looks as though the Belgian may have to offload a few bodies this summer before he can think about making moves to make any new signings, but a deal for Sanderson should certainly be considered, especially if the transfer fee was right.
Clement could ditch Wright in Rangers move for gem with "pace to burn"
Rangers appear to be eyeing a potential swoop for a talented young winger
ByRoss KilvingtonMay 3, 2024
Strength in depth in this area will be paramount heading into the 2024/25 campaign and the Englishman – who has been lauded as "really strong and powerful" by writer James Hunter – could be an ideal addition to the first-team squad.
If Goldson does leave, then it will be with the best wishes of every single Rangers supporter, without a shadow of a doubt.