Former Everton and Sheffield United star completes Rangers medical as transfer comes with 'significant' twist

A former Everton and Sheffield United star is closing in on becoming the third signing of this summer at Rangers.

Defender Ben Godfrey emerged as a promising talent at York City that earned a chance at Norwich City. Form with the Canaries convinced Premier League stalwarts Everton to spend an initial £20m, possibly rising to £25m in add-ons, on Godfrey as he remains in blue for four years. A switch to Atalanta in Serie A beckoned during 2024 but another loan exit is on the table.

The 28-year-old spent time at Sheffield United and Brondby last season but Sky Sports claim he is on the radar of new Rangers manager Derek McInnes. He has reportedly completed a medical ahead of a move to the Premiership side at Ibrox and the initial loan deal will include a hefty option to buy the ex Everton and Sheffield United centre-back permanently.

What are the terms of Ben Godfrey signing for Rangers?

It’s claimed: “Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey has completed a medical at Rangers ahead of a season-long loan deal. The Englishman moved to the Serie A club from Everton in 2024. He has been on loan at Ipswich, Sheffield Utd and Brondby since. It is expected there will be a significant option to buy included in the deal.”

Already this summer, Rangers have signed striker Lawrence Shankland from Hearts, and academy graduate Ross McCrorie from Bristol City. McInnes worked with Shankland at Aberdeen and most recently last term at Tynecastle and having him at Ibrox is a nice addition to inherit.

He said: : "Lawrence being here is an added bonus. He's someone I know really well and, on the back of the season he's just had, it's exciting. Remember, he missed three months. For me, if he hadn't been injured for those three months he would have got his 30 goals and arguably been the Player of the Year.

Derek McInnes on Lawrence Shankland

"But he came back at the right time and scored some important goals towards the back end of the season. He's taken it on now to the World Cup. To get Lawrence here and to work with him again is great. It was disappointing at the time as the Hearts manager, but equally now it's a nice little present to turn up to.

“A few seasons ago, under Steven Naismith, I thought Lawrence was brilliant. The season where he shouldered so much of the responsibility at Hearts, he was the only one who was really scoring regularly. Then the season before I arrived, it wasn't quite so good for him. I used to watch him doing interviews and I could see the weight of responsibility on him, that burden. And I thought that was unfair on him, that he was the only player at Hearts expected to score goals.

"I thought he needed a bit of help. I've known Lawrence since he was a young boy. I signed him at Pittodrie and when I signed him for last season, it was the gravitas. When he turned up for the pre-season work in Spain, he walked in and I could see how he was with the players. The confidence, the maturity, how he trained, how he behaved, what he demanded. Also, how the other players looked up to him was really quite telling for me.”