Glasgow Rangers fans may not have too many reasons to be excited by what has happened on the pitch for them in the 2024/25 campaign so far, aside from the recent 3-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
The Gers are 16 points behind their rivals in the race for the Scottish Premiership title and they have already been knocked out of both the League Cup and the SFA Cup.
This means that the Europa League is their last, realistic, chance to win a trophy this season, and they got off to a great start in the first leg of their last 16 clash with Jose Mourinho’s side.
The Ibrox supporters, however, do have a lot to be excited about off the pitch as Sky Sports recently reported that a takeover has been agreed in principle for US investors, backed by 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe.
It is reportedly expected to be completed before the start of next season, which will allow the new owners to come in and make big decisions – on the new manager and the fate of the playing squad.
Wage Burners
They will, firstly, need to make decisions, in conjunction with the new management team, on the players who are out of contract this summer.
Rangers players who are out of contract this summer
There are three first-team players who are out of contract at Ibrox at the end of this season, including Leon Balogun, Tom Lawrence, and Ianis Hagi.
Rafael Fernandes and Oscar Cortes’ loans expire, but Rangers have an option to make their deals permanent, whilst Vaclav Cerny and Neraysho Kasanwirjo are both set to return to their clubs upon the expiry of their loan deals.
Of the three players only contracted to Rangers, the 49ers must attempt to convince Hagi to remain at Ibrox on extended terms, due to his form this season.
The Romania international has racked up four goals and seven assists in 24 appearances in all competitions, with all seven of those assists coming in his 19 outings in the Premiership.
Appearances (starts)
19 (16)
Goals
3
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
1.9
Pass accuracy
82%
Duel success rate
50%
As you can see in the table above, Hagi has offered a threat at the top end of the pitch from an attacking midfield position, whilst also being able to hold his own in physical battles with opposition defenders.
At the age of 26, the Romanian playmaker still has plenty to offer and that is why the 49ers should look to extend his current contract at Ibrox, particularly when you consider that he is not reportedly among the top five earners at the club.
The top earners at Rangers
According to Capology, the 26-year-old star earns £21k-per-week on his current contract with the Light Blues, which ranks him ninth in the squad.
Club captain James Tavernier is reportedly the highest earner on £30k-per-week. That is understandable when you consider that the 33-year-old star has racked up 129 goals and 140 assists in 501 appearances in all competitions for the Gers to date.
Wolfsburg loanee Cerny, who is due to return to the Bundesliga club at the end of this season, is joint with Cyriel Dessers as the second-highest paid player at Ibrox on £27k-per-week.
James Tavernier
£30k
Vaclav Cerny
£27k
Cyriel Dessers
£27k
Danilo
£26k
Jack Butland
£25k
Rabbi Matondo
£23k
Dujon Sterling
£22k
Tom Lawrence
£22k
Ianis Hagi
£21k
Nicolas Raskin
£19k
As you can see in the table above, Hagi and impressive central midfielder Nicolas Raskin are at the bottom of the top ten higher earners list, which suggests that the Gers have got good value for money out of them this season.
Raskin, who registered an assist against Fenerbahce on Thursday, has averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 25 appearances in the Premiership this season – showing that he has provided a fantastic shield in front of the back four.
The Light Blues have not got great value out of all of those top earners, however, and one of the players the 49ers must boldly ditch in the summer is goalkeeper Jack Butland.
Why the 49ers should move on from Jack Butland
As aforementioned, the former England international is on £25k-per-week and that means that he is earning even more than the likes of Hagi and Raskin, who have starred for the Gers this season.
Unfortunately, the 32-year-old dud has not offered as much quality on the pitch as those two midfield stars, as he has struggled at times between the sticks.
After a return of 25 clean sheets in 58 matches in all competitions for the Scottish giants last season, Butland had set himself up with a solid first season at Ibrox.
However, the English colossus has been error-prone in the current campaign and cost the Gers at times, including against Manchester United in the Europa League with the error in the clip below.
The former Crystal Palace and Stoke City man, who has kept 14 clean sheets in 38 games, has also struggled in the Premiership for the Gers this season.
Appearances
23
Goals prevented
-0.50
Successful run-outs per game
0.3
Error led to shot
2
Error led to goal
1
Penalties committed
1
As you can see in the table above, Butland has underperformed against his xG conceded, letting in 0.5 more goals than expected, and has made three errors that have directly led to a shot or goal for the opposition.
These statistics illustrate his decline in form this term and show why the time could be right for the 49ers to boldly bin the Rangers number one, who has become a liability between the sticks with his subpar shot-stopping and error-prone performances.
The Light Blues are unable to rely on him as the last line of defence because he has put his own defenders under pressure with his mistakes, as well as underperforming against the shots that have come his way.
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He is under contract until the summer of 2027, but the new owners must attempt to find a new club for the English goalkeeper, to open the space for them to go into the market to attempt to source an upgrade in the summer transfer window.
Time may be up for Butland at Ibrox, due to his declining form, but there are still a few months before the end of the season for him, and others, to impress the new ownership and potentially new management team before the 2025/26 campaign.