Kyle Lafferty believes Rangers have finally found a replacement for Connor Goldson in the shape of new boy Ben Godfrey. The former Ibrox striker played alongside the on-loan Atalanta centre-back at Norwich City and was also a team-mate of Goldson at Rangers under ex-boss Steven Gerrard.
Lafferty's Verdict on Godfrey
Lafferty says his old club have never properly replaced the title-winning English defender, who left for Aris Limassol in 2024. But with new gaffer Derek McInnes snapping up ex-Everton man Godfrey, the 28-year-old can finally fill Goldson's shoes in Govan.
Lafferty praised the England international's leadership skills at the back, revealing that he had plenty to say for himself even as a teenager at Carrow Road. The Northern Irishman told Record Sport: "Ben was a young boy coming through at Norwich when I was there. He was only 18 and I was 26 but the amount of arguments we had was unbelievable. He was just a kid and he showed respect to the senior pros like myself. But absolutely nothing fazed Ben. He came in, did really well and got great moves to other clubs."
Godfrey's Potential Impact
Lafferty added: "He's a great signing for Rangers. I know that in the last couple of years he hasn't played the amount of football he'd have wanted at places like Atalanta. But he'll be an exciting player for us. If he stays fit, I think we'll see a younger version of Connor Goldson. I think we've missed Connor since he left. We haven't had that centre-back who has demanded a certain level of performance. But Ben can do that because he'll lead from the back. He won't be shy of pulling people up if they're not pulling their weight. That's what Rangers need and I think he's a great signing for the club at a really good age as well."
Ross McCrorie's Return
As well as Godfrey, McInnes has also added more defensive solidity to his squad with the return of Ross McCrorie to Rangers. Lafferty also watched his development as a youngster at Ibrox and says it's an astute acquisition - even if his own pals disagree. He said: "I played with Ross when he was a young boy at Rangers. Some of my mates aren't that keen on him but I have to stick up for him. I remember when we beat Celtic in an Old Firm game at Ibrox (1-0 win in 2018), he absolutely bossed Scott Brown and Scott was at his best then. Ross played central midfield that day and ran the show. He didn't get as many games as he deserved at Rangers first time around but he went away and did well down south. He's now got a chance he probably didn't think he'd get again."
