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Kris Boyd hammers ‘really poor’ Rangers signing with £3.5m man ‘nowhere to be seen’
If Philippe Clement thought the early weeks of 2025 signified progress for his Rangers team, Sunday’s Scottish Cup defeat to Queens Park was a major setback.
After impressive wins over Celtic, Ross County, and Aberdeen, as well as securing a spot in the last-16 of the UEFA Europa League, Ibrox had seemed much more positive than it did at the end of 2024.
However, that was all before Seb Drozd scored with Queens Park’s only shot of the match, and before James Tavernier’s stoppage-time penalty was saved by Calum Ferrie.
Rangers were knocked out of the Scottish Cup—their last realistic chance of silverware this season—by a second-tier team at home. If it wasn’t the final straw for the already under-pressure Philippe Clement, it certainly didn’t help alleviate his mounting concerns.
This defeat was particularly baffling considering Rangers fielded a strong starting lineup. Clement included key players like James Tavernier, Robin Propper, and Jefte—three regular members of his first-choice defense—while Mohamed Diomande, Vaclav Cerny, Ianis Hagi, Hamza Igamane, and Nedim Bajrami also started.
On a day when Chelsea’s interest in the “underwhelming” Jefte seemed more misplaced than ever, and Diomande and Cerny failed to meet expectations, Rangers legend Kris Boyd pointed out one player who stood out for all the wrong reasons.
Nedim Bajrami, the club’s second-most expensive signing last summer at £3.5 million from Sassuolo, had a particularly poor game. Boyd felt that amount would have been better spent if it had been reduced by a decimal point, given Bajrami’s lack of impact against a team 15 places below Rangers in the league.
Boyd was particularly vocal about the narrative that Rangers hadn’t spent money. “The big summer signing, Bajrami, nowhere to be seen. I thought he was really poor again,” Boyd criticized. “He’s in and out of the starting XI now all the time.”
Bajrami has shown glimpses of his potential since moving from Italy to Scotland. His technical ability and composure under pressure have been key to Rangers’ European success, and he scored the winning goal against Motherwell in the League Cup semifinals. However, his league record—just one goal and one assist in 20 Premiership appearances—has been disappointing, especially considering his contribution to Sassuolo’s relegation from Serie A last season.
Boyd expressed growing doubts about Philippe Clement’s future, especially with the mounting pressure on the manager. “When results like this happen, you’re under major pressure,” Boyd stated. “Clement has already faced a lot of criticism, and rightfully so in my opinion.”
With Rangers trailing Celtic by 13 points, out of the Scottish Cup to a lower-tier team, and having lost the League Cup Final to Celtic, Boyd emphasized that domestic success was paramount. “I don’t think that’ll ever change. Rangers have won just three trophies out of the last 43 available in Scotland. It’s not good enough.”
