Five Rangers stars are out-of-contract this summer but only one should be handed new deal
03/24/2025 12:00 PM
Philippe Clement was adamant that Rangers' insistence on letting players run down their contracts was hurting the club. And the Belgian manager should know.
Alex Rae reckons Clement paid the ultimate Rangers price for a substantial summer turnover that saw several of the club's most experienced players leave Ibrox for nothing.
It's nothing new of course. Ross Wilson's Rangers contract model was slaughtered by Clement with the Belgian insisting things have to be different if the club is to take squad building seriously.
But with the ex-Club Brugge boss officially ousted as Rangers manager, the Gers face losing another spate of high-profile players who will need to be replaced.
Here are the five Rangers first-team stars who are currently set to leave Rangers this summer and our verdict over whether or not they should be handed a new deal.
It certainly looks like the new Rangers sporting director is going to be busy…
Adam Devine
When Adam Devine broke through at Rangers there were high hopes the red-haired right-back could go on to emulate Nathan Patterson in Glasgow.
Patterson broke the Rangers transfer record when he signed for Everton in January 2022 and Devine looked to be next on a conveyor belt of full-back talent. But it hasn't worked out that way.
Devine deputised at left-back for a period of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's reign but since then has been unable to break back into the Rangers team.
Now out on loan at Queen's Park, the writing looks on the wall for the 21-year-old who needs to go out and establish himself as a first-team regular somewhere.
Devine's loan spells with the Spiders has been so far defined by a strange red card shown to him against Airdrie.
Rangers News verdict: Rangers might like to hang on to their top young talents to see how they progress but it's gotten to the stage it's doing more harm than good with Adam Devine. The defender lived the dream by pulling on the Rangers jersey but let's see what he can do elsewhere. ❌
Ianis Hagi
Romanian playmaker Ianis Hagi looked destined to leave Rangers in the summer after returning to the club following a disappointing loan stint with Alaves in Spain.
The 26-year-old suffered in the wake of that devastating cruciate ligament injury in early 2022 and it looked like he might never pull on a Rangers jersey again.
After forcing that year-long stint away from the club, Hagi was turning out for the B team owing to a contract dispute surrounding an increase on wages when he played his 100th game.
When this was renegotiated, Hagi was re-introduced to Rangers in October and the playmaker has made a big impression on supporters this season.
Scoring the opening goal in the 3-0 hammering of Celtic at Ibrox, Hagi has had some big moments this season and he might not be done just yet.
Rangers News verdict: We like Ianis Hagi. He's a top player on his day, who can use both feet and control matches when he's in the mood. Also prone to a big moment, it'll be sad to say goodbye when the day comes. The contract re-negotiation suggests Rangers aren't willing to match the player's wage demands – despite Hagi claiming he's open to staying at Rangers – whilst a romantic homecoming to Gheorghe Hagi's former club Galatasaray could prove too romantic. ❌
Cole McKinnon
Cole McKinnon is another Rangers academy graduate who has had sporadic first-team exposure but never really earned the chance to go on a run in the starting XI.
Philippe Clement rated McKinnon highly but with minutes hard to come, the 22-year-old has been farmed out to Ayr United where he's aiding their Premiership promotion bid.
Whatever happens in Ayrshire this season, McKinnon is another who needs to be playing regularly to develop properly and Rangers just don't have that outlet at present.
Coming off the bench against Benfica in Portugal in the Europa League last season might well be the kid's Rangers highlight.
Rangers News verdict: Cole McKinnon looked like a promising player when he scored against Hearts at the end of the 21/22 season but it just hasn't happened since for the midfielder. Needs game-time, Rangers can't promise it and it's another we might live to regret letting go. ❌
Tom Lawrence
Rangers pipped Premier League clubs to sign a prime Tom Lawrence when his contract expired at Derby County in 2022.
This was a move which was expected to catapult the Gers forward, the club capturing the signature of a clearly talented player who had the physicality, energy and quality to make a tangible difference from midfield.
But whilst Lawrence started his Rangers career in that vein, a serious knee injury sustained in his first campaign has pretty much decimated the ex-Manchester United youth's three seasons in Glasgow.
That knee problem was bad enough but Lawrence struggled to get any level of consistency at Ibrox afterwards, the midfielder beset by injury problem after injury problem.
When we've seen Lawrence at his best he has been impressive for Rangers and there's an irony in that the Wales international could be fully fit by the time his current deal expires.
Rangers News verdict: Rangers do have an option on Lawrence's contract but given the player's high wages and the fact he's 31-years-old, we don't expect the club to activate it. If Lawrence is to leave this summer we'll reflect on a Rangers career tinged with sadness but unfortunately availability trumps ability and Lawrence's wages could more resourcefully spent elsewhere. ❌
Leon Balogun
Leon Balogun might be 36-years-old but the Nigerian international defender remains one of the most trustworthy members of the Rangers squad.
The German-born centre-back is in his second stint in Glasgow and knows all about the pain of being released from Ibrox.
Having returned to Rangers after a season at QPR, Balogun has been at Ibrox for the last two years and won a contract to remain despite several big names leaving last summer.
There can be no doubting Balogun's passion for Rangers and the well-spoken big defender is one of the most vocal and passionate ambassadors for the club.
Rangers News verdict: With a summer of sweeping change on the horizon, Leon Balogun should've done enough to remain a constant at Auchenhowie. We'd keep him around for another year with the expectation of less playing time. ✅
