Clement could unearth a "big surprise" to replace Barisic at Rangers
Glasgow Rangers have roared back to life since Philippe Clement was appointed as the new manager last month, winning five of the previous six matches while scoring 18 goals and conceding just three.
The Belgian couldn’t have wished for a better start since replacing Michael Beale and the turnaround in form has been remarkable.
The former QPR boss won just eight of the opening 14 fixtures of the season and a failure to qualify for the Champions League group stages was a huge disappointment.
Combining this with domestic defeats to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen meant his position became untenable, and he was sacked following a 3-1 loss to the Dons at Ibrox at the end of September. The 43-year-old left the new manager with a lot of work to do, especially considering the squad he inherited.
The summer transfer window that promised so much eventually turned into a major anticlimax, with only Jack Butland and Danilo truly showing their value to the Gers. As such, Clement will be keen to explore a few options once the January transfer window rolls around.
Another area that the former Club Brugge boss will need to deal with in the immediate future is looking at who is out of contract next year and aiming to secure the players he wants on longer deals.
Jon McLaughlin, Leon Balogun, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, and Kemar Roofe are all in danger of departing for nothing come next summer.
Several of these players will naturally leave the club due to a lack of opportunities, but the most interesting case is Barisic, who is continuing to play a role in the first team, but could the Gers see someone else step up to the player should he leave?
Borna Barisic latest transfer news
The Croatian is among part of the ‘old guard’, as per se, featuring alongside Connor Goldson and James Tavernier on a regular basis since the start of the 2018/19 season, making 218 appearances for the club and becoming the first choice left back.
The defender was linked with AS Roma a few years ago but opted to sign a new deal at the Light Blues, committing his future to the club.
2023/24
17
4
2022/23
46
15
2021/22
43
3
2020/21
50
19
2019/20
40
16
2018/19
27
8
Stats via Transfermarkt
According to TEAMtalk last month, the Gers had offered the left back a new deal to fend off interest in him, yet nothing has been signed as yet.
Nottingham Forest have reportedly shown interest in the 30-year-old, along with fellow Premier League side Aston Villa and the next few weeks could be crucial with regard to tying him down for the next couple of years.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst signed Ridvan Yilmaz last summer from Besiktas as an apparent heir to the Croatian when he did leave Ibrox, but the 22-year-old has yet to establish himself as yet, only making sporadic appearances in the starting XI.
His future could look different under Clement, however, but there is a young talent who could force his way into the picture in the coming months – Johnly Yfeko.
Johnly Yfeko’s statistics at youth level
The 20-year-old spent time at Leicester City and Southampton before joining the Gers in January 2022 and despite making only 16 youth appearances down south, he took no time at all to make his mark in Glasgow.
After just a few short months at the club, he signed a deal until 2024 and Yfeko became a regular member of the B side during the 2022/23 campaign.
Indeed, the left-back played 14 times in the Lowland League last term, gaining vital experience against players much older and more experienced than him.
Van Bronckhorst clearly saw him as a future member of the first-team squad, bringing him into the matchday squad on three occasions before the World Cup break, yet he didn’t make an appearance from the bench.
During pre-season, however, Yfeko really began to step up and showcase his abilities. Under Beale, the youngster was given an opportunity during all four of the summer friendly ties and the former QPR boss lavished praise on him, saying:
“Big Johnly Yfeko again is becoming the big surprise of pre-season, making everybody smile.”
The defender was rewarded with a senior debut against Morton in the League Cup back in August and performed well during a 2-1 victory, leading to suggestions that he could be the long-term heir at left-back.
What the future holds for Johnly Yfeko
While the 20-year-old has failed to build on that start a few months ago, Clement certainly has some grand plans for the defender.
Just last week, Yfeko signed a contract extension until 2026 and academy director Zeb Jacobs was clearly happy to have tied him down to a long-term deal, saying: “We are delighted that Johnly has extended his contract at Rangers.
“It is recognition of his development since joining the club, and his recent experience with the first-team is testament to his hard work, focus and dedication.”
The left position now looks stacked with players who will be aiming to become the heir to Barisic, as Yilmaz and Yfeko are joined by B team starlet Robbie Fraser, who also looks like he has the potential to make inroads into the senior side.
Barisic’s future may well be finalised in the coming weeks, but with the player on the wrong side of 30, he won't be at the top for much longer.
With competition looking rife, this could only benefit the likes of Yfeko and Fraser, who know they will need to perform brilliantly every time they make an appearance in the senior side.
With the fixtures coming thick and fast, could the Belgian perhaps utilise some of the younger members of his side? Only time will tell, but winger Ross McCausland has shown that there are plenty of chances available if you are good enough.
Of course, Clement will explore the transfer market for his own targets, but with the Ibrox conveyor belt continuing to produce excellent talents, he would be silly to ignore some of the players who are making waves in the B team.