The transfer window is always exciting for fans as they wait to see who their club brings in, However it can be a nervy time for those under contract and struggling for game time. Steven Gerrard has spoken about his squad being too big and he expects to see some players move on.
The Sun have reported that Steven Gerrard sees his squad as “too big and bloated” and how he hopes to see some players leave over the next few weeks.
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It’s no surprise given Rangers have made eight signings so far this summer. Defenders Filip Helander and George Edmundson have been joined by midfielders Jordan Jones, Steven Davis, Sheyi Ojo, Jake Hastie, Greg Stewart, and Joe Aribo.
These are some of the players who could be likely to leave:
Kyle Lafferty
Re-signed from Hearts last summer, Lafferty is a fan-favourite but is likely to be behind Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe in the pecking order. He managed four goals in 19 league games last year but never managed to put together a consistent run of starts. The 31-year-old always seems to play better for Northern Ireland than he does for his club teams, and it’s likely he will be moving to his tenth club this summer.
Eros Grezda
Perhaps an example of poor scouting or an impulse buy, Grezda was signed for Rangers after impressing for Osijek against the Glasgow side in the Europa League last year. He only managed 13 league games last year and looks out of favour. The Daily Record reported last month that the player had no future at Ibrox.
Andy Halliday
It may not be a popular move with the fans as Halliday is a well known Rangers fan and an absolute fan-favourite. He always gives his all and is devoted to the club, but in all honesty looks woefully short of being good enough for Rangers if they want to challenge for the Premiership. He was useful as a utility player but now the squad is packed with options, he is expendable.
Graham Dorrans
The 32 year old was sidelined through injury last year and could only manage one league game following an impressive first season. The midfield is now packed, and Scott Arfield was signed as a clear upgrade on Dorrans, making it likely the former Norwich City and West Brom player will need to move on.
Jake Hastie
Given the strength of the squad and signings made in the same position, Hastie’s signing looks to be a strange one. Admittedly he could just be loaned out but he currently looks to be fourth choice behind Stewart, Ojo and Candeias. The BBC reported that Gerrard believed Hastie would “undoubtedly improve” the Rangers squad when he signed, but there just doesn’t seem to be space in the squad for him right now.
There may be more than just these five who leave, but Rangers will need to decide if they want to let players go on loan or if they want to try and recoup some of the transfer fees they paid for them. Most clubs in Scotland won’t be able to afford them so they may have to move to England or further afield.