Glasgow Rangers made it four wins from four since returning from the winter break as they enjoyed a comfortable win over Livingston on the weekend.
The Gers did not need to get out of third gear in order to secure all three points and Philippe Clement even gave a debut to January signing Oscar Cortes.
The young winger was signed on loan from RC Lens towards the end of the winter window and while only three players arrived at the club, Clement appeared happy with his squad.
All eyes will be on the summer transfer window now, and it looks as though the Light Blues already have one target in mind…
Rangers turn their attention towards the summer transfer window
According to Football Insider, Rangers are showing interest in signing Stoke City striker Tyrese Campbell during the summer.
According to the report, the Gers were keen on luring him to Ibrox four years ago, yet no move ever materialised, but could they try again once the season is over?
Campbell was linked with a move to Hellas Verona last month, with Stoke even turning down a bid of £1m and considering he is out of contract at the end of the current season, it was a peculiar decision, especially as he has yet to sign a new contract at the club.
This could tempt Clement into discussing a pre-contract swoop for the forward as he aims to bolster his attacking options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
If a move for Campbell is successful, he could follow in the footsteps of Todd Cantwell, who arrived from the Championship and has emerged as a key fixture under the Belgian manager since he took charge last year.
Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers
The Englishman joined from Norwich City just over a year ago and, come May 2023, he had certainly justified the £1.5m transfer fee that Michael Beale had splashed out on him.
During his first four months, Cantwell scored six goals and grabbed five assists as it didn’t take him long to settle into life north of the border.
The first few months of the current campaign were slightly tougher, as Cantwell missed a few games due to injury, taking until the start of November to open his account in 2023/24.
Since then, the former Norwich starlet has enjoyed a freer role as a number ten in Clement’s tactical system and this has brought out the best in Cantwell.
Indeed, in 15 Premiership matches under the 49-year-old tactician, the attacking midfielder has scored four goals and registered three assists, showing evidence that he is just beginning to peak at exactly the right time.
There is no doubt his performances have improved over the previous few weeks, and it finally looks as though the Ibrox side are moving through the gears as they chase a treble.
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By making a move for Campbell, Clement could perhaps secure another Cantwell-type figure, especially as he seemingly requires a fresh start in order to build on his early potential.
Rangers could replicate Cantwell blinder by signing Campbell
The 24-year-old has made over 150 appearances for Stoke since making his debut during their final Premier League season in 2017/18, scoring 34 goals and grabbing 20 assists across six years.
The 6 foot gem may not be the most prolific in the box, yet his adaptability could be what Clement is most interested in, as the Englishman has featured on both wings numerous times in his career and if push comes to shove, he could also perhaps drop slightly deeper.
He has missed six games this season due to a hip injury which has resulted in the striker making only 14 appearances in all competitions, finding the back of the net on just two occasions.
He did enjoy a solid campaign during 2022/23 however, scoring nine times in the Championship while grabbing six assists in all competitions, and it is clear that when the forward is fit, he can provide a reliable attacking threat.
Among the Stoke squad last season, Campbell ranked first for goals and assists (14) in the Championship, while also ranking first for shots per game (two), third for big chances created (six) and second for successful dribbles per game (0.8), demonstrating his all-round ability and that his game is more than just goals.
It wasn’t just his own teammates he shone against either, as when compared to his positional peers in the men’s next 14 competitions, Campbell ranked highly across a range of metrics.
Indeed, the striker ranked in the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 (3.91), the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.4), the top 13% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (5.77) and the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.31), once again evidence that he is more than just a penalty box poacher, being able to link up well with teammates and create a plethora of opportunities during a game.
Campbell was hailed as a “great talent” by football writer Ollie Walton recently, and he could be the ideal type of player which Clement should be going after, especially as he will cost nothing.
With Kemar Roofe out of contract this summer and Fabio Silva due back at Wolverhampton Wanderers once his loan spell finishes, the Gers don’t have much attacking depth.
Cantwell has enjoyed life at the Light Blues since making a move from a team he was clearly struggling in and Campbell could perhaps follow in his footsteps this summer.
With European football on offer along with the chance to secure trophies and play in front of a packed Ibrox every other week, a move to Scotland does not sound too bad.
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With the club fighting on both domestic and European fronts over the next few weeks, Clement has the chance to return the club to the summit of Scottish football.
If he does, then the former Club Brugge manager may have more flexibility in the summer transfer window along with a slightly bigger budget and this could be key to securing a return to the Champions League.