Rangers announce five first-team departures, one contract extension

Rangers have announced that Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, John Lundstram and Jon McLaughlin have all left the club following the expiry of their contracts.

The quintet have spent a combined 23 seasons at Ibrox and were all part of the Gers squad beaten on penalties by Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022 Europa League final.

All five players leave the Glaswegian giants as Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup winners, while Jack, Barisic, Roofe and McLaughlin all won the Scottish Premiership title under former boss Steven Gerrard in 2020-21.

A club statement read: "All five players have represented Rangers with commitment and dedication over a number of years.

"Everyone at Ibrox and Rangers' training centre thank the departing players for their time at the club and wish them all the very best for their future careers."

© Reuters

Jack leaves Rangers after making 210 appearances in all competitions during a seven-year stay at the club following his move from Aberdeen in 2017.

The 32-year-old midfielder scored in the 2022 Scottish Cup final win over Hearts was a key player for the Gers for a number of years, but he was reduced to only five starts in 2023-24 due to fitness issues.

Barisic joined Rangers a year after Jack and went on to make 236 appearances, scoring 10 goals and providing 54 assists, but the left-back lost his first-team place under Philippe Clement and was limited to 15 Premiership starts last season.

Both Roofe and McLaughlin arrived at Rangers in the summer of 2020; 31-year-old Roofe played 102 times for the Gers but was hampered with injuries over the last two seasons, while McLaughlin, 36, was a peripheral first-team figure and last played for the club in February 2023.

Lundstram, meanwhile, leaves Rangers after making 153 appearances in three years for the club, despite Clement stating at the end of March that he was "totally confident" the midfielder would agree terms over a new contract.

Balogun signs one-year contract extension at Rangers

💙 @LeonBalogun: "I am very, very happy and privileged to be able to extend my contract at a club like Rangers. I have said in the past I wish I could've been here sooner in my career because it fuels the fire to succeed all the time." pic.twitter.com/QcKxZU8Ydr

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 1, 2024

Meanwhile, Rangers have confirmed that experienced defender Leon Balogun has extended his contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.

"I am very, very happy and privileged to be able to extend my contract at a club like Rangers," the 35-year-old told the club's official website. "I have said in the past I wish I could've been here sooner in my career because it fuels the fire to succeed all the time.

"I want to win more trophies here and win more titles. As a player, you want to make sure you are part of the history of this club because there are not many places in the world where there is a greater honour or a greater privilege."

The announcement of five departures and one contract extension comes after Clement insisted on the need for a rebuild at Ibrox and confirmed that there will be significant changes made to his squad this summer.

Rangers have already announced the signing of Brazilian left-back Jefte for a reported £2m, with the 20-year-old penning a four-year contract.

The Gers won the Scottish League Cup in 2023-24, but they finished second in the Scottish Premiership behind champions and Old Firm rivals Celtic, who also beat them in the Scottish Cup final.