Rangers remain focused on overhauling their wage structure after several years of financially risky decisions that saw high wages paid to underperforming players at Ibrox.
This summer alone, the club has already trimmed approximately £6 million from their annual wage bill, with further cuts expected as 49ers Enterprises assume control of operations.
A key responsibility for the incoming sporting director will be to realign the club’s financial strategy, moving towards a more sustainable and profitable model.
The days of spending big on English Championship players appear to be over, with Rangers now leaning into a youthful, globally-oriented recruitment strategy.
In a boost ahead of the summer window, two of Rangers’ top earners have helped their loan club gain promotion — which could pave the way for permanent exits.
Rangers players promoted with Birmingham City
Birmingham City, managed by former Celtic coach Chris Davies, have been instrumental in easing Rangers’ wage burden by taking on several fringe players.
They first secured a permanent deal for Scott Wright and then brought in Ben Davies on loan — a move that proved vital in Birmingham’s promotion campaign.
The Blues secured their return to the Championship by beating Peterborough 2-1 at London Road, clinching automatic promotion.
Kieran Dowell, another Rangers player, joined Birmingham mid-season and made a strong impact in League One, although neither loanee featured in the decisive win. Both are expected to be involved in this weekend’s EFL Trophy Final at Wembley.
Birmingham are owned by a US-led group fronted by billionaire Tom Wagner, with NFL icon Tom Brady among the minority stakeholders.
Future of Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell
Rangers will now aim to offload Davies and Dowell permanently this summer, which would significantly reduce the club’s wage commitments.
Davies earns a reported £27,000 per week (or £1.4 million annually), making him one of Rangers’ highest earners. Speaking in March, Davies acknowledged his enjoyment at Birmingham but remained non-committal about his long-term future:
“I’m happy with how it’s going here… I’ll think about that and consider all my options in the summer.”
Rangers paid Liverpool an initial £3 million (rising to £4 million) for the 29-year-old in 2022 and will look to recoup part of that fee.
Dowell, who joined for free in 2023 after leaving Norwich, earns around £16,000 per week (£830,000 annually) but has struggled to make an impact at Ibrox. However, Birmingham manager Chris Davies is keen to keep him:
“He’s definitely someone I have been really encouraged by… I want players like that here.”
While Rangers will seek modest transfer fees for both players, the primary benefit lies in saving approximately £2.2 million annually in wages.
