Gers in £3.4m transfer link, it might cause Ibrox dressing room friction

Rangers are expected to be active in the upcoming summer transfer window, and there was a surprising revelation when Arnaud Bodart, a goalkeeper, was mentioned as a potential target yesterday.

Reports suggested a £3.4m deal was in progress for the Standard Liege goalkeeper, which seemed hefty considering Jack Butland is already part of the squad, unless, of course, Rangers' current number one is poised to leave. However, subsequent reports have tempered this speculation.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement is likely well acquainted with Bodart's abilities, as are several members of the squad, with one of them drawing criticism from Bodart following a previous encounter.

In the 2020/21 Europa League, Steven Gerrard's team was matched against Standard in the group stages, and there's one particular moment etched in the memory of fans, especially for one player.

In that instance, Kemar Roofe, just 22 at the time, orchestrated a remarkable move that will be remembered in Europa League lore. Starting just outside the Rangers box, Roofe evaded several Standard players with dazzling skill before unleashing a precisely aimed shot that sailed over Bodart's head and into the net.

While it's a moment Bodart would probably prefer to forget, after the match, he expressed his dissatisfaction with Roofe.

“That Kemar Roofe was happy to score is normal, we didn’t have a problem with that.

“But he ran across the pitch to provoke our supporters.

“He made a celebration sign just to taunt us. He didn’t have to do that.

“His behaviour was totally unacceptable.”

It might seem like a strange leap to make but, remember, Roofe played for Anderlecht before joining Rangers.

As the player explained though, his celebration wasn’t quite that contrived:

“With my fingers, I form the letters A and L after I score. That stands for the names of my daughters Alarnie and Luna. Every goal is for them. A striker must have a trademark.”

As things stand, it appears that Roofe, along with five other senior players whose contracts expire in the summer, will be leaving Ibrox.

It seems that a potentially uncomfortable reunion has been sidestepped, assuming Rangers' reported interest in Arnaud Bodart is indeed genuine.