Clement ready to reignite Rangers move for EFL star

Glasgow Rangers continue to ramp up their pre-season preparations by playing a glamour friendly at Murrayfield Stadium this weekend against Manchester United.

With the opening Premiership fixture taking place in just two weeks, Philippe Clement will be hoping to bring at least another two or three players to Ibrox, thus bolstering his squad.

If he doesn’t, then the starting XI against Hearts could look fairly similar to the one that ended the 2023/24 campaign, featuring the likes of Cyriel Dessers and Scott Wright in some capacity at Tynecastle.

Hopefully this isn’t the case, but with every passing day of no new announcements, it could turn into a reality when the league season begins.

Despite numerous links in recent weeks, transfer activity has been laboured. Could this change in the coming days? As a fresh update has been provided.

Rangers showing interest in former Championship starlet

At the start of the year, Football Insider claimed that the Light Blues were interested in signing then Stoke City centre-forward Tyrese Campbell this summer.

He had just six months left on his deal with the Championship side and Clement was keen on a deal to bring the Englishman north of the border once the season concluded.

Campbell’s deal with Stoke expired, and he is now a free agent, which could give the Belgian coach a boost, especially as the Daily Mail state Rangers are just one of the clubs showing interest in the player.

A raft of second-tier sides, including QPR, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United are all keen on signing Campbell, but the chance to win trophies and play in European football should be plenty of incentive for the striker as he seeks his next move.

It won’t be the first time the club have signed a player who shone in the Championship, as Todd Cantwell had made his breakthrough at Norwich City in the second tier.

Could the Englishman emerge as Cantwell 2.0 for the Light Blues should he join the club this summer?

Todd Cantwell’s Rangers career in numbers

The Englishman was one of Norwich’s prized assets just a few years ago after shining in the Premier League during the 2019/20 season, scoring six goals in the top flight.

In the summer of 2021, the Canaries valued him at £40m amid interest from Aston Villa as they sought a replacement for Jack Grealish.

In January 2023, however, his career appeared to be at a crossroads, falling out of favour at his boyhood club. Michael Beale rescued the midfielder from his purgatory and the move to Ibrox looked like a smart piece of business.

Indeed, his first six months in Glasgow saw Cantwell score six goals while grabbing five assists, not bad for someone who cost just £1.5m.

Last season saw the former Norwich starlet register 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – despite missing several games due to injury issues.

He ranked fourth in the squad for goals and assists (12) in the Premiership throughout 2023/24, along with ranking third for big chances created (seven), fourth for key passes per game (1.7) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (1.2), showing how impressive he was in the final third.

Campbell may play in a more advanced position than Cantwell, but there is no doubt Clement can get him firing should he make the move to Ibrox this summer.

Tyrese Campbell’s season in numbers

Campbell missed six matches due to a hip injury last season, while falling out of favour upon his return to full fitness, making just 24 appearances for Stoke.

This meant he managed to score just four goals and grab two assists, hardly numbers which demonstrate his potential.

Cantwell failed to score or assist in the six months prior to his move to Rangers. Perhaps Campbell – who has been described as “always a handful” by former boss Michael O’Neill – could come to life next term in new surroundings.

The 6 foot striker still managed to average 2.1 shots per game while succeeding with 0.5 dribbles per game – a success rate of 55% – despite averaging only 52 minutes each game.

Again, not earth-shattering, but with more opportunities in the starting XI, these could have improved further, indicating there is plenty of potential there.

What Tyrese Campbell could offer Rangers

Despite a poor 2023/24 campaign, Campbell demonstrated his vast talents the season prior. Indeed, among his Stoke teammates, the striker ranked first for goals and assists (14), along with ranking first for shots per game (2), third for big chances created (six) and second for successful dribbles per game (0.8), showing how impressive he can be in the opposition third when at full fitness.

Football writer Ollie Walton dubbed the player as a “great talent” earlier this year, but it is time for him to add some consistency to his game, which could come with a move north of the border.

His statistics when compared to his positional peers over the previous 365 days are certainly impressive and prove that he is more than just an out-and-out striker.

Not only does he rank in the top 5% for progressive carries per 90 (2.79), but Campbell even ranks in the top 9% for total shots per 90 (3.69) and in the top 13% for both progressive passes (2.64) and touches in the attacking penalty area (6.03) per 90.

These figures are certainly encouraging and if interest in the centre-forward is concrete, then it could be a solid enough signing which adds some depth to Clement’s attacking department.

The reality is, Rangers will have to sell a few players in order to raise funds for future arrivals. While free transfers might not be all that glamorous, they are key to beefing out the squad, which is exactly what Campbell will do.

Hopefully, he can remain fit and healthy should he join the Gers in the coming weeks, as his skillset could be perfectly suited to Scottish football, making him a decent option to call upon.