After Rangers returned from their training camp at St. Georges Park earlier this summer, several previously first team players were informed they were no longer part of the plans and could depart Ibrox.
Ordered to train separately from the main group, these players were nicknamed ‘Martin’s Bomb Squad’ and were left out of consideration for competitive fixtures.
Robin Propper was the first member of the group to depart, returning to FC Twente in the Netherlands.
He was quickly followed by the departing Ross McCausland, who joined former teammates Leon Balogun, who also departed this summer on a free, and Connor Goldson at Cypriot club Aris Limassol before Robbie Fraser joined William Hill Championship club Dunfermline, managed by ex-Celtic hero Neil Lennon, last week.
This left a group of ‘misfits’ of Ridvan Yilmaz, Jose Cifuentes, Ben Davies, Leon King, Clinton Nsiala and Rabbi Matondo stuck at the club with no chance of featuring.
The lack of outgoing movement was a cause for concern amongst supporters and the higher-ups within the halls of Ibrox, with the bloated squad, and wage bill slowing down incoming signings badly needed for the club’s rebuild.
However, departures seem to now be kicking into gear. Inside Ibrox reported earlier today that Ridvan Yilmaz has departed the club for Besiktas, rejoining the Turkish giants, who he joined Rangers from in 2022.
We can also confirm that Ben Davies has departed the Rangers Training Centre for the final time, the former Liverpoold defender has cleared his locker and will join EFL Championship side Oxford United on loan for the remainder of the season, and the final year of his Rangers contract.
Rangers will be covering a large % of his wages, rumoured to be north of £20k per week, after talks between the Ibrox club and his former loan club Birmingham City broke down earlier this window, despite reports of an accepted bid close to £750k.
Rangers also confirmed today that Jose Cifuentes has joined Major League Soccer side Toronto on loan for the season, with the Canadian’s having an option to buy the midfield flop, signed by Michael Beale during his disastrous tenure as Ibrox manager.
Rangers set to battle Celtic for Scotland stars signature
Rangers set to miss out on rising Scotland star as English transfer agreed
Rangers transfer hunt continues ahead of deadline as defender departs
This leaves the trio of Leon King, Clinton Nsiala and Rabbi Matondo at the club, the last remnants of the once large group of out-of-favour would-be stars.
Leon King rejected the chance to reunite with ex-teammate Alex Lowry at Wycombe Wanderers earlier this summer, with the academy graduate rejecting terms on a permanent deal, reportedly unwilling to take the drop in wages from his lucrative Ibrox contract. Rangers are keen to offload King, but may be forced to keep the once promising youngster around for the final year of his deal.
Nsiala has been linked with a few moves away this summer, both on loan or on a permanent basis but nothing has so far come to fruition.
Matondo, on a rumoured £28k a week at Ibrox returned to pre-season training with an injury which may see him sidelined until October, ruining any chance of offloading the former Manchester City man.
Matondo has been a major drain on resources since his arrival in 2022, under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson, but looks to be sitting tight on his heavy wage for the remainder of his deal.
Rangers are also expected to entertain offers for the likes of Nedim Bajrami, Oscar Cortes and Kieran Dowell in the remainder of the window should any arrive, whilst the likes of Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers remain linked with big money moves out of Govan.
Now that the squad begins to be trimmed, movement inwards can re-commence, with reinforcements needed to turn around a poor start to the season, and life under new head coach Martin.