Rangers boss Philippe Clement not worried by lack of transfer activity

Philippe Clement admits he would have been worried about the rate of Rangers’ transfer business as a younger manager.

But the 50-year-old is relaxed about the situation and believes the end of Euro 2024 could spark the summer window into life.

Clement admitted at the weekend that the club had to sell players before making any major signings.

The Belgian has so far signed back-up goalkeeper Liam Kelly plus four players who are either 20 or 21 – defenders Jefte and Clinton Nsiala, former Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron and Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane.

Clement told Rangers TV: “I have had a lot of pre-seasons and in this way of working and the expectations from outside. You know that everyone expects that all the new players will be in now.

“When I was younger, a first-time manager, I was also nervous about that. And now I know that it’s not possible, with the Euros or World Cup. So you need time.

“We have been looking at a lot of players in these last weeks and months, had a lot of talks. Some deals we could do, some deals not, and everybody is working hard on that.

“We are not where we want to be at the end of August but I don’t think we are the only team in the world. I know supporters want that but it’s not possible.

“Everyone is working hard on that. How fast those things go, you never have control of that because it has to do with yourself, what you can spend, it has to do with other teams, if they want to let players go and how much they ask for that.

“And it’s about convincing players also. So there are several players that are convinced Rangers is a good place but you still need negotiations around that.

“It always starts a little bit later after the Euros because now teams start to train, managers give chances to players and a little bit later on it will be more clear which players can stay or can go somewhere. So you never know how fast things go.

“But I’m not a young manager anymore so I know that’s the reality.

“And we work hard with the players who are in the building. That’s really important, to be ready with everyone who is in the building, for the first official game we have to play.

“Then we will see if there are still players coming in, now or the next couple of weeks, if it’s in August, you don’t have total control of those things.”

Rangers lost experienced players such as Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe in the summer but players such as Ianis Hagi and Sam Lammers are still on the books following loan spells.

Clement added: “I know for fans, it’s a little bit like playing Football Manager or PlayStation, you think everything is possible at the moment. But that’s not the reality.

“The most important thing is everybody is aligned about the plans – the board, recruitment, me, the staff – about what profiles we need to become better and grow as a club, and not only short term but also long term.”