'I understand': Manager opens door for Rangers to sign £2.5m 'very good football player', he's keen on a move
Today at 02:00 PM
At this stage, the closest Rangers look like coming to a January transfer is via the loan market or perhaps through a pre-contract arrangement.
Rangers are leading the race to sign Dundee’s Lyall Cameron. With his deal at Dens Park expiring in the summer, a la Connor Barron in 2023, the Gers would still have to wait until next season to see Cameron produce those trademark bursting runs in light blue.
And as Rangers find themselves priced out of Marko Soldo – the NK Osijek midfielder is too expensive even at £2.5 million, Rangers News have learned – short-term, low-cost loan deals will be the order of the day if Ibrox is to become home to any new faces over the next fortnight.
According to reports, Rangers are not in active talks to sign Hjalmar Ekdal from Burnley.
Though, with reports in the Sweden international’s homeland claiming that Ekdal has admirers in Glasgow, that could still change. While Clinton Nsiala has shone in Rangers colours over the last week, the fact remains that Philippe Clement was forced to speed up the youngster’s ascent into the first-team due to a host of defensive injuries.
Scott Parker open to Hjalmar Ekdal exit amid Rangers links with Burnley defender
Rangers will be without John Souttar, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo again when fifth-tier Fraserburgh travel to Ibrox in Sunday’s Scottish Cup clash. Clement admits that Robin Propper’s involvement is touch-and-go, too.
Ekdal may yet become a concrete option, then.
Especially now that Burnley boss Scott Parker has reluctantly opened the door for both he and fellow defender Hannes Delcroix to leave Turf Moor in search of more regular minutes.
"There may be an option there, yes," Parker said during his press conference on Friday. "I mean, both players really have got the quality to play football. They are both very, very good football players.
"From my position, of course I’d love to keep them here and be part of things. But I also understand what stage they're at and whether game time is a big thing for them, which I’m sure it is.
"They want to try and play some minutes and it’s a position in our squad that we are pretty stacked in terms of defenders, so there may be an option there."
Philippe Clement plays down Robin Propper concerns
Ekdal has played only once for Burnley in 2024/25, against Reading in the FA Cup.
The Rangers-linked Swede’s injury record is a concern, though. Ekdal has missed a combined total of nine months and 37 matches due to knee and hamstring issues since he moved to Lancashire in a £2.5 million deal from Scandinavian outfit Djurgardens two years ago this month.
If Propper is unavailable, meanwhile, Nsiala, Leon Balogun and the out-of-favour Leon King will be Rangers’ only available central defenders against Fraserburgh.
Clement is keeping the door open for any January business, even if the problem with forced Propper off against Aberdeen is fortunately not viewed as particularly serious.
“[New signings are] something that will be necessary for the club, yes,” Clement says during his own pre-match presser. “[Whether we will sign in January] is a club decision.
“Of course, I know everything that’s going on. But I don’t have a clue if there will be something signed fast or not. The first second that we sign something, we will tell you all. That, I can promise.
“Robin still felt something today. But there is a big chance he will be in the training [session] tomorrow. No guarantee yet for medical stuff, but the chance is big.”
