Rangers are set to bring Ben Godfrey to Ibrox on a season-long loan from Atalanta. Derek McInnes has moved for the 28-year-old defender as Rangers look to reinforce a back line that has already changed this summer.
Derek McInnes turns to Godfrey
Godfrey has two caps for England and moved to Atalanta from Everton in 2024 for £11million. He is expected to leave Atalanta on loan even though he remains contracted there until 2028, a reminder that the deal being lined up is temporary rather than a permanent exit.
The move would add another defender to Rangers at a time when Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga and Derek Cornelius have returned to their parent clubs. James Tavernier has also left Rangers, which leaves McInnes with a narrower pool to work from before the new campaign starts.
Godfrey's route through England and Italy
Godfrey made his name as a young player at Norwich City before his £20million move to Everton, where he spent four years at Goodison Park. After that, his path took him to Italy and then on loan spells at Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Brondby, with Brondby his most recent temporary stop.
Those moves show a player who has already handled different systems and settings, and Rangers are betting that experience can help them absorb defensive turnover without waiting for a longer rebuild. Ross McCrorie has already arrived from Bristol City for around £1.5 million, but McInnes still needs more cover if he is to settle the back line quickly.
Rangers' defensive rebuild
The immediate issue for Rangers is not just adding numbers, but replacing the balance lost by departures and returns. With Godfrey targeted for a season-long loan, the club is trying to plug one gap without tying itself to a permanent transfer before the season has properly started.
Whether Rangers and Atalanta complete the loan before the new campaign begins will decide how soon Godfrey can slot into the squad at Ibrox. For Rangers, the move is already pointing in one direction: more defensive cover, and a shorter wait for McInnes to put a settled back four together.
