Pressure Eases on Rangers Boss Philippe Clement as Europa League Progress Buys Time
For now, the heat has eased on under-pressure Rangers manager Philippe Clement.
On Thursday night, his side secured a spot in the Europa League round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox. Nicolas Raskin opened the scoring with a header, followed by Václav Černý’s crucial second goal shortly after halftime.
The Light Blues concluded the league phase with an impressive 14 points, despite, as Clement pointed out, facing four of the seven teams ranked above them in the competition.
While Rangers’ European performances have buoyed morale, their inconsistent domestic form remains a concern. However, could the club be about to boost their squad with one of the Scottish Premiership’s most promising young talents before Monday’s transfer deadline?
Rangers Eye Move for Dundee Midfielder Lyall Cameron
According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers have “held talks over a pre-contract agreement” with Dundee’s Lyall Cameron.
With Cameron’s contract set to expire this summer, Rangers would only need to pay a compensation fee for the 22-year-old, who has been lauded by his manager Tony Docherty as “extremely talented.” Docherty acknowledged that interest was inevitable for a player of Cameron’s caliber approaching free agency.
There’s growing speculation that Rangers may look to finalize the deal in January. New CEO Patrick Stewart recently hinted at this possibility, stating the club intends to “accelerate the signing of a player we were already targeting.” While Stewart didn’t name names, many believe he could be referencing Cameron.
Former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart, speaking on Scottish Football Social Club on Premier Sports, described Cameron’s potential signing as a financially low-risk move, considering both the compensation fee and expected wages. Meanwhile, Scottish football writer Kai Watson suggested that Cameron “has the potential to play at a higher level than the Scottish Premiership.”
Where Cameron Could Fit at Ibrox
Cameron has demonstrated remarkable versatility this season, performing across multiple midfield roles but excelling particularly in a central position. This could be timely for Rangers, as they may soon have a vacancy in midfield.
Ianis Hagi, who has started 11 of the last 12 Premiership games, is out of contract this summer. According to Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News, the Romanian international “has yet to be offered” a new deal.
Comparing the two players, Hagi has logged about 1,000 fewer minutes this season due to his recovery from a long-term injury, which also led to his omission from Rangers’ UEFA squad. He’s scored twice this season—once against Stenhousemuir in the SPFL Trust Trophy in front of just 525 fans, and again with a long-range effort in front of a packed crowd during a memorable Glasgow derby win in January.
Despite playing for a lower-ranked team, Cameron’s stats stack up well against Hagi’s. He has scored more goals, provided more assists, and created just one fewer chance, all while playing for a Dundee side that averages 45.26% possession compared to Rangers’ 62.29%.
These figures suggest Cameron is ready to step up to a higher level, making him an ideal, low-cost signing for Rangers—and potentially the perfect replacement
if Hagi departs this summer.
