Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement is just five wins away from potentially leading the club to a stunning treble success during his first season in charge.
The momentum appears to be with Celtic at the moment, but rest assured, the Belgian will be doing everything he can to make sure the season ends with another couple of trophies.
The 50-year-old is already planning ahead for the future, eyeing up a few potential transfer targets this summer…
Rangers transfer news
According to a report from Football Scotland, Raphael Borges Rodrigues has emerged as a potential option for the Light Blues when the transfer window opens.
The 20-year-old is currently playing for Australian side Macarthur, having joined from Melbourne City in 2023.
Rangers are not the only side interested, however, as Coventry City have reportedly contacted the player’s representatives about making a move to the Championship, meaning the Gers certainly have some competition for his signature.
Clement is looking to sign promising young talents who could be sold on in a few years for a significant profit. With this in mind, Rodrigues not only fits the bill, but his arrival could give the manager licence to finally ditch Scott Wright.
How Raphael Borges Rodrigues compares to Wright
The fact that Wright is still being utilised by Clement indicates how poor the squad depth is at the club and this needs to change heading into the 2024/25 campaign.
Since joining the Ibrox side in 2021, Wright has made 113 appearances for the club, yet he has registered only 17 goal contributions – ten goals and seven assists – during that time.
When compared to his teammates this term, Wright ranks in a lowly 16th place for shots per game (0.9) in the top flight, along with ranking 22nd for big chances created (one) and 19th for key passes per game (0.6), suggesting that even when he is given a chance, the winger fails to impress.
Rodrigues’ preferred position may be on the left wing, but during his embryonic career thus far, the youngster has operated on the right flank 16 times, scoring twice and grabbing two assists, indicating his flexibility to play on either wing.
He certainly offers a greater threat in the final third than Wright, registering six goals and two assists in 32 matches this season. Compare this to Wright’s two goals in 29 games, and it is clear who has been the most productive.
Goals
4
Assists
2
Key passes per game
0.6
Big chances created
4
Successful dribbles per game
1.6
Journalist Sasch Pisani hailed the winger after watching him live for the first time this season, claiming he “has pace to burn, great feet & a powerful shot.” Which is everything that Clement wants from his wide options.
The 20-year-old averages 1.6 successful dribbles per game along with creating four big chances, proving he can generate plenty of opportunities for his teammates from a wide position.
The Dutch-born Australian youth international certainly looks like he has the talent to shine in Scotland. The question is, could he make the step-up straight away?
If he does join Rangers, it should see Wright – who at one stage looked set for a move to Turkey last summer – swiftly moved on in the process.
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