The “buy cheap, sell big” line always sounds brilliant on paper, but for a club like Rangers it can get overstated. Truth is, you don’t consistently land those headline fees unless you’ve already built a side that wins domestically and shows up in Europe. That’s the platform that turns a good player into an expensive one.
Value comes from context, not just talent
Player trading doesn’t happen in a vacuum. If a footballer is performing in high-pressure matches, lifting trophies, and getting minutes on a European stage, the market reads that differently. You can be a standout every week in Scotland, but if the outside world doesn’t see you in big games against strong opposition, your value can get capped.
It’s not even about “selling clubs” or slick presentations. It’s about credibility. The same performance looks more bankable when it comes inside a winning environment. That’s why the talk of flipping players for huge money can feel like we’re skipping a step. Build a team that wins first, and the rest becomes easier.
The gap won’t close on recruitment alone
Recruitment still matters, obviously. Rangers need to be sharper, braver, and more accurate with signings, because wasting windows is how you stand still while rivals move on. But even good recruitment doesn’t automatically translate into big sales if the team around that player isn’t delivering the titles and cups that raise the whole squad’s stock.
That’s the bit some fans miss when the “model” gets discussed like it’s a cheat code. A trading approach can help you sustain progress, refresh the squad, and avoid getting stuck with players past their peak. But on its own it won’t bridge the gap to a side that’s collecting trophies and picking up the European exposure that adds zeroes to price tags.
Win first, then the market follows
What Rangers really need is the combination: improved recruitment and a team that looks like a proper title challenger again. Not “good in spells”, not “nearly there”, but a side that sets the tempo, handles pressure, and turns seasons into silverware.
Until we start winning titles and cups regularly, selling players for top money will keep eluding us more often than not. European nights can raise profiles, but the real multiplier is being the team that wins things. Get that right, and suddenly the “buy cheap, sell big” conversation feels less like hope and more like a plan.
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