Sources: Rangers tell £15,000-a-week star to go as Filip Helander begins exodus
Rangers have told defender Filip Helander he is free to find a new club this summer as the exodus begins at Ibrox, sources have told Football Insider.
The 29-year-old’s £15,000-a-week contract expires at the end of May and he will not receive an extension.
Helander’s time at Ibrox has been plagued by injury and he has missed the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign with a long-term foot injury.
The Sweden international has played 60 times for Rangers but has missed more than double that amount of games while sidelined with various injuries.
He sat out almost six months in the 2021-22 campaign after undergoing knee surgery.
Helander joined the Gers from Serie A side Bologna for a reported fee of £3.5million in 2019, signing a four-year contract at Ibrox.
The centre-back played a key role as Rangers secured a first league title in a decade under Steven Gerrard in the 2020-21 campaign.
He racked up 31 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals.
Gerrard rated Helander highly and was even keen to sign the defender when he first took charge at Premier League side Aston Villa in November 2021.
Rangers could still lose up to eight players for free this summer, including Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack – who are out of contract at the end of May.
First-team stars like Allan McGregor and Scott Arfield are also out of contract, while a decision will have to be made on loan star Malik Tilman.
Michael Beale’s side are set to lose out on the Scottish Premiership title for the second straight season, with rivals Celtic currently leading the way by some 12 points.
They can still get one over the Hoops by defeating them in the Scottish Cup semi-final on 30 April.
In other news, Rangers have lost £111million as paperwork filed.