Rohl can ditch Dowell by signing the SPFL’s “best midfielder” for Rangers
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has done a phenomenal job at Ibrox after taking over a team that had only won one of their opening eight Scottish Premiership matches.
Now, the Gers are level on points with Celtic after beating them 3-1 on Saturday and six points behind league leaders Hearts in the table, with plenty of football left to be played.
There is still work to be done in the January transfer window, which opened for business last week, and that includes moving players on from Ibrox in the coming weeks.
Rangers midfielder set to leave this month
The Daily Record reports that Kieran Dowell is one of the players who is set to be allowed to move on from the club before the end of the window, as he is surplus to requirements under Rohl.
Per Transfermarkt, the English midfielder currently ranks 24th in the squad for appearances (six) and 23rd for minutes (384) in the 2025/26 campaign, which speaks to how much of a fringe player he is.
The former Norwich City star spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham City in the third tier of English football, and did show quality as a scorer and a creator, suggesting that he is more suited to that level than playing for Rangers at Ibrox.
24/25 League One
Kieran Dowell
Appearances
19
Goals
5
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.5
Assists
4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Dowell was superb for Birmingham in their run towards the League One title last season, with 14 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 19 games.
But a return of zero goals and three assists in 38 games for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, shows that he does not have the quality to deliver consistent quality for the Scottish giants.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Light Blues can finally part ways with Dowell and move on from his struggles at Ibrox by using the January transfer window to sign a huge upgrade on him.
How Rangers could replace Dowell
Rangers are reportedly eyeing up Motherwell central midfielder Elliot Watt as a potential target for the January transfer window, as he only has 18 months left to run on his current contract at Fir Park.
The 25-year-old star has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Premiership so far this season, and could come in as a player who can seriously challenge for a place in the starting XI.
Dowell, who has not played a game since August, has clearly not done enough to prove to Rohl that he has what it takes to play as the number ten or in central midfield.
Watt, though, has the qualities to play in either of those roles for the German head coach, because he is an incredibly well-rounded midfielder who can offer plenty to the team in and out of possession in the middle of the park.
Heart & Hand podcaster Adam Thornton recently described the 25-year-old star as “a bit of a unicorn” while analysing that his best qualities are a “rare blend”. His statistics in the Premiership this season back up that claim.
25/26 Premiership
Elliot Watt
Rank vs CMs
Goals
4
Top 5%
xA
3.09
Top 9%
Assists
2
Top 25%
Touches
2,058
Top 1%
Tackles
43
Top 6%
Duels won
96
Top 11%
Ball recoveries
163
Top 1%
Stats via FotMob
Described as the “best midfielder in the league” this season by Scottish football analyst Kai Watson, Watt certainly ranks favourably among the best central midfielders in the division in various areas of the game, showing he can impact matches at both ends of the park.
Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer window insights Dive deeper into transfer strategy – subscribe to the newsletter for extended analysis of targets, player-by-player statistical comparisons, tactical fit assessments and boardroom maneuvering that explain why signings like Elliot Watt could reshape a squad.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
This makes him a highly versatile and valuable asset to have because he could be deployed as a deep-lying midfielder, tasked with breaking up play, or as an attacking midfielder, tasked with scoring goals and creating chances.
His return of four goals and two assists this season means that he already has more goal contributions than Dowell has in his entire Rangers career in all competitions, despite the Englishman having joined in the summer of 2023.
This suggests that the Motherwell talent would be far more likely to make an impact in the final third than Dowell at Ibrox, as he has proven that he can be a difference maker at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership.
Now, it is down to the board to strike a deal with their Premiership rivals to bring Watt to the club this month, allowing them to finally ditch Dowell and upgrade on him in the process.
Rohl can bin Aasgaard by signing £5m gem who'd be a "huge coup" for Rangers
Danny Rohl could drop Thelo Aasgaard from the team with a Rangers swoop for this reported target.
ByDan Emery