With 750+ apps about to go free, the Rangers boss destroys the record of the Nottingham Forest director.

Ross Wilson’s contract record is being shredded by Philippe Clement, meaning that over 750 Rangers appearances could be lost for free.

When the Rangers released their most recent financial statements, John Bennett, the club’s chairman, made it apparent that enhancing player trading would be the main objective of the business plan.

This comes after years of incompetence on the part of the Ibrox recruitment power brokers, who have consistently failed to maximize our earning potential and elevate the club’s ranks with outstanding candidates.

The key to all of this is the track record of former Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson, who now leads Nottingham Forest, and manager Philippe Clement, who has a very different perspective on contracts.

Philippe Clement calls out Rangers contract record

Before Rangers’ Scottish Cup match against Dumbarton, manager Clement bemoaned the fact that five of his team’s well paid and experienced first-team choices were approaching the end of their contracts.

We really count it six, which is interesting because the remarks seem to be a reference to the Ibrox future of third-choice goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.

Rangers might lose a total of 773 appearances (as of this writing) off their roster in the summer for no reason at all, a scenario that Clement has called “crazy.”

Ross Wilson’s ego will have taken a serious hit from the new Ibrox manager who said that the circumstances did not represent a “well-leaded club.”

The following players are free to discuss terms and depart in the summer: Borna Barisic (224 appearances), Ryan Jack (204), John Lundstram (130), Kemar Roofe (93), Leon Balogun (77), and Jon McLaughlin (46).

Theoretically, Rangers would then need to make purchases to replace them, which is a harsh critique of the team’s insane hiring practices in previous years.

Along with a number of well-known players departing Rangers, there have also been some substantial transfer payments involved. The first four players listed are all capable of recovering fees at some point during their time at Ibrox.

Ross Wilson at centre of transfer criticism

Contrast the comments of Philippe Clement with that of Ross Wilson speaking back during his time at Rangers in 2021.

Upon further thought, the assertion that Rangers were “really, really relaxed about where we are with our player contracts” was misguided.

Wilson informed the AGM of the Rangers that year that they were “really, really comfortable with where we’re at with all our player contracts,” going on to talk about a “clear contract model” and a “clear wage structure.”

Rangers have sleepwalked into something of a disaster in the transfer front in recent seasons with Ross Wilson’s recent signing record genuinely abysmal.

The club failed to build on 55 and the January window of 2022 proved to set the hammer over Wilson’s coffin before a disastrous summer proved the final nail, with protests aplenty sending the ex-Southampton director back to the Premier League.

This summer saw Rangers release three players in Filip Helander, Ryan Kent, and Alfredo Morelos who not only cost the club a combined £11m but who could’ve recouped fees during their time at Ibrox.

By the time Wilson jumped ship to the City Ground, all the power was in the hands of the players.

Although Steven Gerrard desired to retain his team after 55 games, the club’s inability to locate worthy replacements and move these players out is a reflection on their recruitment process.

Players must be sold and a percentage of the proceeds reinvested if they refuse to sign contract extensions while there is still value on them or if the recruitment team believes they have reached the peak of their potential while playing for the organization.

Though not quite as many as there should have been, there were some notable successes, including Joe Aribo of Southampton, Calvin Bassey of Ajax, and Nathan Patterson of Everton.

Philippe Clement has experience working in the Champions League, Ligue 1, and Belgian Pro League, so he has a solid understanding of how things function at the highest levels of European football.

The Belgian hasn’t held back since joining Rangers, criticizing our scouting and recruitment team as well as our medical departments’ failings.

During his tenure as head of this department from October 2019 to April 2023, Ross Wilson bears the most of the guilt for the contract violations.