Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement may have made seven summer signings already, but according to the Gers boss, several are not ready for first-team action at Ibrox straight away.
This is perhaps a smart way of taking the pressure off the youngsters at Rangers, but it is also clear that Clement’s side need to bring in some experience ahead of the new season.
Indeed, the Rangers boss spoke during the club’s pre-season training camp in the Netherlands, stating that two new additions – the likes of Clinton Nsiala and Hamza Igamane – would be immediate starters for the Light Blues.
Another player who should be ready to go is Connor Barron, who will be looking to force his way into the starting XI ahead of the new season.
Why Connor Barron could be an excellent signing for Rangers
Barron joined on a free transfer a couple of weeks ago and has some experience in the Scottish top flight, making nearly 50 appearances in the competition for Aberdeen since 2021.
The youngster has the potential to be an excellent midfielder over the next couple of years, and it was a smart piece of transfer business by Clement to bring him in for nothing.
According to Transfermarkt, his current market value stands at around €1m (£850k) but there is no doubt this value will rise over the coming years if he delivers on his vast potential.
While he looks good to be a key member of the squad, Clement has already struck gold on someone who arrived at Ibrox back in January, as Mohamed Diomande looks like he might just make the Light Blues a substantial profit in the near future.
Why Rangers have struck gold on Mohamed Diomande
The young Ivorian joined on an initial loan deal midway through the 2023/24 season before sealing a permanent move this summer.
During the second half of last season, Diomande showcased his class by scoring twice across 19 appearances for the Light Blues while averaging 1.5 key passes per game, creating a big chance and winning over 50% of his total duels per game, demonstrating his ability in a range of performance metrics.
This six-month settling in period will have done the player the world of good ahead of his first pre-season at Rangers, and he should be ready to hit the ground running when the new campaign begins.
Dubbed as “aggressive” by analyst John Walker earlier this year, Diomande has everything in his locker to be a success over the next few years for the Light Blues.
According to Transfermarkt, his current market valuation stands at €4m (£3.4m), which means he is worth four times more than Barron.
A midfield partnership of Barron and Diomande could be the cornerstone of any success that Clement and his men aim to achieve over the coming years. They are both under the age of 23, offer differing qualities and are ready to make their mark for the Light Blues.
Don’t be surprised to see Diomande being linked with moves to England sooner rather than later, as his qualities will surely tempt a few Premier League sides to make a move.
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