RANGERS CONFIDENTIAL: Why two stars are heading for the Ibrox exit, the major stumbling block to bringing back Joe Aribo and why Old Firm red card was utter nonsense

Rabbi Matondo is all but out the door at Ibrox — and Cyriel Dessers could yet be following him.

Matondo is closing in on a loan move to Coventry City, with an option to buy included in the deal. The Wales international moved to Ibrox in the summer 2022 but has made just eight appearances across all competitions this season.

Rangers boss Philippe Clement last week revealed the club will need to sell players during this transfer window.

Following Alex Lowry’s move to Wycombe, midfielder Kieran Dowell is looking for a new club, while striker Dessers would be allowed to depart, with Leganes the latest side to show an interest.

Currently 15th in La Liga, the Spanish club are working behind the scenes to work out a financial package likely to seal the deal.

Cyriel Dessers seems set to go as Clement can’t guarantee him game time

The Nigeria international claimed his first Ibrox hat-trick in a 5-0 rout of Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup.

Supplanted by Hamza Igamane in the starting XI, however, Dessers wants to play every week, with Cagliari, Empoli and St Etienne all credited with an interest.

Leganes sporting director Txema Indias was keen to sign Dessers before the striker moved to Rangers. And Spanish publication AS claims the interest has now been revived.

While Rangers want to rake in some cash from a permanent transfer, Leganes can’t afford the price. Keen to do a loan deal, even that could be beyond them.

With Brazilian striker Danilo forced to see a specialist after picking up an injury in the recent win over St Johnstone, Clement is reluctant to let Dessers go without having an adequate replacement lined up.

Despite slipping down the pecking order, the 30-year-old has scored 16 goals in 33 games. And, asked if he still saw a Rangers future for Dessers, the Rangers boss hedged his bets.

‘It’s a difficult question, that one,’ said Clement. ‘If Cyriel goes, you need to replace him. And it needs to be at least the same quality.

‘We will see in the next two weeks what happens. I know if he’s here, he will give everything for the club. And, if he leaves, he needs to be replaced by somebody at least of the same quality.’

Communication is key as Mailer brings wealth of experience to Ibrox

New Rangers communications chief Greig Mailer will get down to work at Ibrox in early April.

Previously head of marketing and communications at the SFA, Mailer had a brief spell at Hibernian before moving south to work alongside Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart at Manchester United on corporate comms.

Communications chief Greg Mailer is set to start working at Rangers from April

Currently working his notice at English Premier League side Brentford, where he serves as corporate affairs director, the Scot brings a wealth of experience at the sharp end of British football.

He will come in to help with the messaging of chairman Fraser Thornton and Mailer’s former Old Trafford colleague Stewart.

A Rangers return? It simply ain’t so for Joe

Rangers fans should pay no attention to talk of an Ibrox return this summer for Joe Aribo. It won’t be happening.

The midfielder moved from Glasgow to Southampton in 2023 for £6million and helped the south coast club win promotion to the Premier League last season.

With Saints currently bottom of the English top flight and destined to go straight back down, he will look to move on at the end of this campaign.

With one year left on his contract, Southampton believe they can recoup what they paid for him.

Midfielder Joe Aribo was a favourite with fans during his spell with Rangers

Aribo is set to leave Southampton, but that doesn’t mean he is returning to Ibrox

Although Rangers could stretch to the transfer fee for the player who scored in the 2022 Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, the overall package would be financially prohibitive.

The Nigeria international reportedly earns £70,000 per week and won’t expect to make a penny less in what will be his final big contract in the game.

With Rangers trying to drive their wage bill down while investing in younger players, a return for Aribo isn’t even worthy of consideration.

Istanbul could be one destination, with Besiktas long-standing admirers of the 28-year-old.

Unfulfilled talent Lowry has a lot to prove in England

Good luck to Alex Lowry, who left Rangers earlier this week for the bright lights of Wycombe Wanderers.

Signing for an undisclosed fee, the 21-year-old joins a club who are challenging for promotion at the top of English League One.

But he leaves Rangers as a talent unfulfilled – and a player whose poor attitude cost him any chance of making it at first-team level.

When Lowry initially broke into the senior squad a few years ago as a teenager, he was viewed as a player with huge potential.

A creative young attacking midfielder, his vision and guile looked like they would be a huge asset to Rangers for years to come.

Alex Lowry failed to live up to his undoubted promise during his time with Rangers

Young Lowry will hope things work out better for him with new club Wycombe

Yet, after just 14 appearances for the senior team, and a failed loan spell at Hearts last season, he now finds himself punted out the door.

The talk at Rangers over these past couple of years has been about how Lowry’s  attitude has hindered his progress and his obvious ability.

This was something that was picked up at Hearts when he played under Steven Naismith last season.

Across his time at both clubs, Mail Sport understands that punctuality wasn’t a strong point. There were several times when Lowry would be late for training and team meetings.

Speaking in 2023, Lowry insisted that his laid-back demeanour perhaps just gave off the wrong impression at times.

He now heads to Wycombe as a young man with a point to prove. Whatever he goes on to achieve in England, the penny never really dropped for him at Rangers.

Potter’s dismissal in Old Firm clash was a piece of nonsense

No wonder Rangers are to appeal the decision to issue Jo Potter with a red card in their Sky Sports Cup semi-final against Celtic last Sunday.

The manager’s dismissal early in the second half at New Douglas Park was so bizarre that it threatened to overshadow a 2-1 victory that takes them into a final against Hibs.

Two goals in three minutes, by Rio Hardy and Katie Wilkinson, had just put Rangers in control of the tie when the ball ran out of play in front of the dugouts.

Thinking, like many others, that it was a throw-in to Rangers, Potter flicked the ball up with her foot and held it behind her back when Celtic defender Emma Lawton approached.

Referee Abbie Hendry then strode up to Potter and brandished a red card, presumably because she thought the Rangers manager was guilty of gamesmanship.

Rangers boss Potter, far right, was startled when she received the red card in Old Firm game

Potter expects to be exonerated now that Rangers have appealed the decision

Potter later said she wanted an explanation from Hendry, who is one of 24 Scottish officials on FIFA’s international list this year. The referee also booked the Celtic manager, Elena Sadiku.

‘I’m not sure why I can’t hold the ball on our throw-in to give the ball to my own player,’ said Potter. ‘I looked towards the fourth official and she was saying: “At most, it’s a yellow. It’s not a red card”. The ref obviously disagreed because she’d got the card out of her pocket very quickly. She looks a bit silly if she puts it back in and changes it.’

If common sense prevails, the decision will be overturned and Potter will be free to reflect only on the quality of her team’s performance, the highlight of which was Wilkinson’s goal, a superb free kick that dipped beyond the goalkeeper.

Lawton scored a consolation for Celtic, but it was too late to alter the outcome, which continues Rangers’ promising start to the new year and gives them a chance to win the League Cup for the third season running.

If Caixinha can’t get Windass, he’s naturally going to turn to … Neymar!

Pedro Caixinha is an endless source of fascination to Rangers supporters, the media and anyone who dealt with him during his eccentric, ill-fated spell in charge at Ibrox.

The latest stop on the well-travelled Portuguese manager’s never-ending global itinerary is Santos, where he has linked up with former Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

Caixinha recalled Morelos from a loan spell with Atletico Nacionale, but the player had such a good time with the Colombian club that he wants to return. He has not featured for Santos in their first two games of the season.

Then there is the Josh Windass story. Two weeks ago, Santos were reported to have made a bid for the Sheffield Wednesday player, whose spell at Rangers several years back included an inadvertent touchline tackle on Caixinha.

That offer was knocked back and, according to the latest intelligence from South America, the Brazilian club have decided to drop their interest in Windass and instead pursue …Neymar.

Caixinha was always a controversial character during his time in charge of Rangers

Now Caixinha is hoping to sign Neymar, above, for Santos if he can’t get Josh Windass!

Which is quite a turn-up for the books. Neymar has a lot to be proud of in his swashbuckling career, but coming second-choice to Josh Windass in the international transfer market is probably not one of them.

The 32-year-old Brazilian superstar joined Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, but he has made so few appearances for the Saudi club, thanks mainly to injury, that he isn’t even registered to play in their league.

Chicago Fire were linked with a move for the former Barcelona player, but Santos were his first club and an emotional return to Brazil at this stage of his career would be appealing.

Santos have submitted a formal proposal, Al Hilal are weighing up a response and Caixinha is wondering if he will soon be working with one of the game’s best and most expensive strikers.

The question is whether Caixinha can persuade one of his former Rangers players to partner Neymar in Sao Paulo? If Morelos and Windass are out of reach, who will he turn to next? Rumour has it that Martyn Waghorn is available, having terminated his contract with Northampton Town.