But after the winger’s sparkling performance in the 6-0 dismantling of Ross County – scoring twice in what was probably his finest Rangers display to date – Philippe Clement indicated that he was keen to keep Matondo north of the border for the time being.
“I hope that he continues what he’s been doing now,” Clement told Sky Sports. “I think he’s going to stay yeah. Otherwise, somebody needs to come with enough money.
“You never know in the last week (of the window). But my idea is that he will be here this season.”
Blackburn, their hopes of landing Matondo suffering a potentially fatal blow by a mesmerising display which might just have saved his Ibrox career, now appear to have shifted their focus to another Rangers player.
And if Clement is keen to keep Matondo in the building, then the same certainly cannot be said of Todd Cantwell.
The £1.5 million misfit handed in a transfer request in July, Clement confirming that he simply hasn’t settled in Scotland while exiling him from the first-team picture alongside Ianis Hagi.
And with offers not exactly flying in, Blackburn feel like Cantwell’s best chance of playing any semblance of first-team football for the remainder of the season.
“I certainly am very hopeful (of bringing in new signings),” Eustace told the Lancashire Telegraph when about the prospect of Cantwell heading to Ewood Park before the transfer deadline. “You can see tonight we still short in a few areas.
“Hopefully, the club can bring in the right players to give that competition for places. The recruitment team are working very hard.
“Todd is someone that has been spoken about.”
Eustace was reluctant to give too much away, though he does refer to the 26-year-old as a ‘very good player’.
Cantwell is not the only player on the Rovers’ radar, however. The 1995 Premier League champions are showing interest in ‘five or six other good players’ too.
Cantwell does, at least, appear to be very high on that wishlist. Reporter Alan Nixon explains via his official Patreon page that Blackburn are preparing to strike a cut-price deal for a player who was once valued at £30 million but may be worth a tiny fraction of such a fee these days.
“If people leave, we need other people. In it is clear. Otherwise, we’re short in that position,” Clement said during last Friday’s press conference, broadcast on Rangers’ YouTube channel.
“I don’t know which bids come in. I really don’t know, because I’m not interested in that. I’m busy with the squad, with the team.
“There’s no reason for me to know every bid that comes in for a player or for what amount, because I’m not at the end the one who makes the decisions about the money in the club.
“Todd made his own opinion about things, why he doesn’t want to stay in Scotland,” the former Monaco boss adds. “And I don’t speak only about Rangers.
“It’s more Scotland, why he wanted to leave.”
With wealthy owners that want to take their team to the pinnacle of English football, Birmingham City is spending a comparatively large amount of money for the league in which they play.
Wright has already scheduled a medical exam and is reportedly close to moving to the Midlands, according to Sky Sports.
John Eustace also conceded that there was some validity to the rumors indicating that Blackburn Rovers had developed an interest in Rabbi Matondo.
However, following the winger’s spectacular showing in the 6-0 thumping of Ross County—scoring twice in what was likely his best Rangers performance to date—Philippe Clement made it clear that he was eager to keep Matondo north of the border for the foreseeable future.
“I hope he keeps doing what he’s been doing,” Clement expressed to Sky Sports. “I believe he will stay, yes. If not, someone must arrive with sufficient funds.
“In the final week (of the window), you never know.” However, I believe he will be here this season.
Blackburn seems to have turned their attention to another Rangers player after their chances of signing Matondo were dashed by a captivating performance that might have salvaged his Ibrox career.
Additionally, Todd Cantwell is not as eager to keep Matondo in the building as Clement is.
The £1.5 million misfit submitted a transfer request in July, with Clement dismissing him from the first squad and saying he just hasn’t adapted to Scotland.
Blackburn feels that Cantwell’s best chance of playing any kind of first-team football for the remainder of the season is that offers aren’t exactly coming in.
Regarding the possibility that Cantwell will be at Ewood Park prior to the transfer deadline, Eustace told the Lancashire Telegraph, “I certainly am very hopeful (of bringing in new signings).” As you can see, we’re still lacking in a few areas tonight.
“Perhaps the team can add the appropriate players to create competition for spots. The hiring team is putting forth a lot of effort.
“There has been discussion about Todd.”
Despite his reluctance to divulge too much, Eustace calls the 26-year-old a “very good player.”
But the Rovers are keeping an eye on a few players besides Cantwell. Five or six more talented players are attracting the attention of the 1995 Premier League winners.
At least it seems like Cantwell is pretty high on that wishlist. Through his official Patreon page, reporter Alan Nixon reveals that Blackburn is getting ready to make a low-ball offer for a player who was once valued at £30 million but may only be worth a small portion of that amount now.
“We need additional individuals if folks depart. It is evident in it. In the absence of that, we’re lacking in that position,” Clement stated at the news conference held last Friday and aired on the Rangers’ YouTube channel.
“I have no idea which bids are accepted. Since I have no interest in that, I truly don’t know. I’m occupied with the team and the squad.
“Since I don’t ultimately decide how much money the club spends, there’s no reason for me to be aware of every bid that is made for a player or how much it is for.
The former Monaco manager continues, “Todd formed his own opinion about things, which is why he doesn’t want to stay in Scotland.” And I talk about more than only Rangers.
“He wanted to go because it was more Scotland-related.”
Before the transfer window closes, the 25-year-old Hoffenheim center defender—who is bound to the team until 2027—may be sent on loan.
The Frenchman’s former Bruges coach, Philippe Clement, would want to see the Rangers bring him back this season.
“Conversations on this topic have persisted for the past few hours.”
Rangers must add players who instantly bolster the team and improve Ibrox.
This implies that risk needs to be kept to a minimum.
The team has a solid core currently, but the lack of depth or dependence on players like Tom Lawrence and Leon Balogun for availability are causes for concern.
N’Soki, who was sold by Brugges for an impressive £10 million, is a versatile player who can play as a left-back and would provide much-needed variety in defense.
Naturally left-handed, having competed in both the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, he would also be anticipated to start opposite Robin Propper.
Although John Souttar has played well lately, he has the kind of medical file that, like Balogun, makes the next absence seem inevitable.
Aside from bringing in veterans like Propper and Vaclav Cerny, finding someone like N’Soki simplifies the recruitment process.
The 25-year-old former France Under-21 international is aware of how the boss operates and wants his teams to play, so he knows what he provides and how he plays.
While it can be risky to sign players later in the window, N’Soki is a good pick this time around.
Now all Rangers need to do is convince Hoffenheim to release him.
The Rangers team is anxious to get rid of the 25-year-old playmaker before the window closes, since his situation is weighing heavily on the team.
The Rangers manager, Philippe Clement, has made it abundantly evident that the team must let go of individuals before looking to sign new players. With Todd Cantwell, this is still the case.
It is now being reported that Blackburn Rovers and Rangers have agreed on a price for Cantwell, with the Ibrox team expected to make money.
When you add the £1.1 million that is removed from the wage bill annually, the sale of Cantwell may provide a significant boost as the transfer window nears its end.
When it comes to covering Todd Cantwell, journalist Alan Nixon has been leading the charge.
When the Sunsport journalist first revealed that Blackburn Rovers were interested, it was he who sparked optimism about a Todd Cantwell breakthrough.
Having missed out on Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo, John Eustace had turned his focus to Cantwell, and now a transfer seems to be moving forward.
On his official Patreon account, Nixon disclosed that the Rangers were getting ready to make a “bargain” deal to move Cantwell to Blackburn.
Nixon states that Blackburn will need to “juggle their budget” in order to get Cantwell to sign, with personal terms reportedly being the primary source of contention in any transfer.
However, based on the most recent information regarding the sale, it is not thought that dealing with Rangers will be too difficult.
Rangers and Blackburn Rovers have agreed on a cost, and according to Alan Nixon, even though it’s “quite low,” the Gers will still make money if Todd Cantwell signs at Ewood Park.
There are hopes that an exodus will get up steam in the next few hours because Nixon is saying that Todd Cantwell is scheduled to see Blackburn Rovers today, August 28.
Rangers will be keen to get Cantwell off the team so they can use the money that his departure frees up to buy a replacement.
Although the primary goal of the agreement is to reduce Cantwell’s compensation, Rangers will profit from ANY transfer fee that Blackburn must pay to acquire the playmaker.
That came after the person who signed Cantwell to a contract with Rangers was cited earlier in August while talking about the January 2023 transfer.
Cantwell joined the Gers on a free transfer, according to former Rangers manager Michael Beale, meaning that any money recovered would be profitable.
“We brought in Nicolas Raskin during the winter,” Beale said to the Mindset for Sport podcast. “A youthful Belgium U21 player.
“We purchased him in advance. Although we paid about £800k to acquire him, it was a free.
“And we made a completely free transfer to bring in Todd Cantwell.”
In the event that Rangers let go of Todd Cantwell in the next few days, all eyes will be on Romanian international Inisa Hagi.
However, additional funding will be required if the Ibrox team is serious about acquiring the 20-year-old Brazilian this summer.
The most recent transfer rumors from Spain, which provide more information on Almeria’s stance on Rangers’ interest in the former Santos star, at least seem to support that.
It occurs a few days after Rangers supposedly had the Liga Segunda team reject their initial loan-to-buy offer for Kaiky.
The reliable transfer expert Fabrizio Romano was the one who first revealed Rangers’ interest in Kaiky, an Almeria defender.
After two years in Spain, the Brazilian center half’s experience was uneventful between Liga Segunda and La Liga.
Although Kaiky was loaned to Alcabete for the second part of the previous season, Almeria’s manager Rubi did not rule out selling Kaiky during the transfer window.
However, Rangers will need to present a stronger package if they are serious about securing this possible Ben Davies upgrade.
However, Almeria rejected this because it only makes up 70% of the price they paid Santos for the defense two seasons prior, according to the Spanish publication Ideal.
It is suggested that Rangers will be able to sign Kaiky and that Almeria will consider selling the defender, but only if the deal comes with the same terms as what the Spaniards received.
This implies that, should this season come to an end, Rangers would have to commit to spending an additional €3 million (£2.5 million) to sign Kaiky.
This will set most Rangers supporters’ teeth on edge since the entire cost of any transfer will come to almost £9 million.
Rangers are anticipated to sign a new center back before the transfer window ends, notwithstanding Kaiky’s circumstances.
This summer, Rangers has already lost seasoned former vice captain Connor Goldson, and this week, the lackluster Ben Davies joined him in his departure.
Captain of FC Twente Robin Pröpper has joined Rangers, and Scotland international John Souttar is expected to receive a new deal from the Gers as a result of his recent success.
Beyond that, though, the Ibrox defense appears noticeably weak as seasoned center defender Leon Balogun was forced off the field during the crushing victory over Ross County due to yet another injury.
AC Milan youth talent Leon King and other players are heavily connected to loan exits, while Clinton Nsiala is a project player and far from first-team duties.
In order to handle the demanding schedule of a domestic and European season, Rangers are looking to add a new defender, and Kaiky is currently the top candidate making the rounds.
However, it seems that Rangers will need to agree to a £9 million deal with Almeria in order to get the Brazilian, and there are serious concerns about the Ibrox team’s ability to responsibly pay such a sum. GET MORE NEWS HERE
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