Glasgow Rangers are clearly up for the fight of battling on three fronts between now and May, as they secured an excellent 2-2 against Benfica on Thursday.
With Philippe Clement having to rejig his starting XI due to injuries, the Light Blues delivered a solid performance in Lisbon, and they are in with a great chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
The games are coming thick and fast for the Ibrox side, as they face Hibs for a place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup this Sunday, meaning the Belgian will have to rotate some of his squad in order to maintain freshness.
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, it is clear that Clement will need to improve his squad and add some depth, as injuries this season have come close to derailing the team on numerous occasions.
This could see several fringe players being moved on in the summer transfer window, with Scott Wright being a prime example of someone who should be brutally ditched.
Scott Wright’s future at Rangers
The Scottish winger has been at Ibrox since January 2021, when Steven Gerrard snapped him up from Aberdeen on deadline day.
He had signed a pre-contract agreement with Rangers the month before, but Gerrard brought him in early to give his side a boost as they chased the title.
“It is very pleasing to have Scott for the rest of this season. This will give him the opportunity to gain some valuable game time in a blue shirt for the rest of the season.” Said the manager upon his arrival and Wright would make 13 appearances between then and the end of the season as the Gers secured their first league title in a decade.
Fast-forward three years and Wright is still at Rangers, although he was close to leaving last summer. Under Michael Beale, it was apparent the winger was not in any future plans and when Turkish side Pendikspor came in with a £500k bid for the player, it looked like a no-brainer for either party.
A few weeks later, however, the move had collapsed due to his wage demands and the former Aberdeen gem was going to remain in Glasgow, until January at least, and fight for his place in the side.
Scott Wright’s statistics at Rangers
After half a season at Ibrox, Wright looked set to force his way into the starting XI during the 2021/22 campaign. He scored twice in the opening couple of weeks of the season, which indicated an encouraging start.
Overall, Wright made 37 appearances and scored seven goals – including one in the Scottish Cup final against Hearts – as he emerged as a decent squad option, but the following season wasn’t quite as productive.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
25
2
0
2022/23
34
0
2
2021/22
37
7
3
2020/21
13
1
2
Via Transfermarkt
The winger made just eight starts in all competitions, failing to score while grabbing just two assists, and he began to slip further down the pecking order under Beale, leading to his potential exit to Turkey last summer.
The 26-year-old has failed to impress Clement this term, despite scoring twice since the Belgian coach arrived, but the right wing is an area that clearly needs strengthening this summer.
Wright currently ranks 21st in the squad for big chances created (one) in the top flight this term, along with ranking 16th for key passes per game (0.6) and 16th for successful dribbles per game (0.4), which suggests that even when he is unleashed, the winger is failing to have any sort of meaningful impact in matches in the final third.
The £5.6k-per-week liability has been outshined by Dujon Sterling on the right flank as the Englishman, who is a right-back by trade, is proving to be a more attractive option right now on the wing.
Dujon Sterling is impressing out wide for Rangers
The emergence of Ross McCausland has been the big talking point of this season, as he is beginning to blossom by starting most matches on the right flank.
Sterling, however, is a more than capable backup option and certainly offers more going forward than Wright.
The former Chelsea starlet has operated in numerous positions this term, including left-back, central midfield, and even on the left wing, but his performance against Benfica on Thursday evening was solid.
Not only did he score his first-ever senior goal against the Portuguese outfit, but the 24-year-old looked lively during the clash and was even able to offer plenty of defensive support by making an interception and a tackle along with winning 50% of his total duels.
This was not the first time he had been deployed as an option out wide under Clement. Against St Johnstone last month, Sterling actually came on at half-time for Wright in order to give the Gers something extra and the substitution worked a treat.
During the opening 45 minutes, Wright had completed just eight passes, took 21 touches, and lost possession nine times, while failing to get a shot on target or deliver a successful cross into the box.
Sterling, however, took 26 touches, made one key pass, delivered an accurate cross, and even won a penalty from which James Tavernier converted.
More importantly, he looked a lot brighter and eager to get involved compared to Wright, which is made even more remarkable considering this was not his natural position.
Since that 3-0 win, the Scot has been restricted to just three cameo appearances from the bench, whereas Sterling was trusted with a starting slot against Benfica.
The 26-year-old does have another year left on his current contract, meaning this summer could be the best time to sell him on and secure a decent fee for the winger.
Otherwise, he will be free to open talks with another club next January, whereas securing a transfer fee for him will allow Clement to use this for more signings to bolster his squad.
Wright has had a couple of standout moments at Rangers over the previous three years, but his spell in Glasgow has been underwhelming overall, and it looks as though the next few months could well be his final farewell.
The Belgian boss should now brutally ditch the Scottish winger from his roster ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, given his underperformance and Sterling's surprising displays in his position.