Rangers will only sell at the right time under Ibrox transfer strategy says Ross Wilson

Ross Wilson says the timing of departures in Rangers’ transfer policy is vital ahead of a key summer at the Scottish Premiership champions.

Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara will be in the shop window when they play for Croatia and Finland at the summer’s Euro 2020 championships while interest in their team-mates is also anticipated after clinching the SPFL Premiership in record time.

Alfredo Morelos is another expected to attract admirers – signed for £1m from HJK Helsinki in 2017 and subject of a rejected £16m bid from Lille last summer – the Colombian has revealed his dream of a move to the English Premier League buoyed by strong showings in Rangers’ Europa League run.

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But potential player exits will be at the right time for the club, Wilson says, after revealing insight to the club’s transfer and player trading model for a squad to build upon this season’s SPFL Premiership success and on the European run which continues this Thursday against Slavia Prague.

Rangers Director of Football Ross Wilson. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Rangers Director of Football Ross Wilson. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Rangers Director of Football Ross Wilson. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

“We have to be a strong player-trading club. That means we have to sell well and buy well,” he told The Telegraph, adding that decisions to trade players out would only be made “at the right time”.

And Rangers can keep some of their top performers who have inspired them to a first league title in a decade according to the Ibrox sporting director who explained: “I don’t think it’s inevitable that every player performing well here has to leave Rangers. That is definitely not the case.

"Joe Aribo came from Charlton Athletic; Glen Kamara from Dundee, a Finnish international; Borna Barisic, a Croatia international came from Osijek. We know these players can play in any of the top five leagues. We also know they are really loving life at Rangers.

"We will make sure we will trade players out at the right time.”

Rangers Alfredo Morelos was subject of transfer links and a bid from Lille last summer. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Rangers Alfredo Morelos was subject of transfer links and a bid from Lille last summer. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Rangers Alfredo Morelos was subject of transfer links and a bid from Lille last summer. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Another departure speculated upon in recent weeks has been that of manager Steven Gerrard, however the manager himself has insisted further success with Rangers is his current priority, and Wilson revealed a brief meeting with the former England international revealed just how much the club meant to Gerrard before he followed him north as sporting director 18 months ago.

"Within ten minutes I could see how much Rangers had captured Steven, I knew that if I came here this wasn’t a job I could cruise in, tick a few boxes, finish second in the league and get to the odd cup final. We had to win. I was sitting with a man who is a winner and I knew then that we would work well together.

He added: “I find it hard to imagine Steven doing anything that doesn’t demand that you have to win every single day.

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“I don’t know what the future holds for him other than it’ll be a successful one. This is a man who has to have that intensity to win. There is a relentlessness in him. I could not imagine him doing anything that was normal.

Steven Gerrard has a relentlessness and a will to win, according to Ross Wilson (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)Steven Gerrard has a relentlessness and a will to win, according to Ross Wilson (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)
Steven Gerrard has a relentlessness and a will to win, according to Ross Wilson (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

"As a club we have been absolutely committed to Steven and the group of staff that work with him. In terms of what he wants to do in his career it will definitely be about winning.”

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