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Emmanuel Fernandez## The Glasgow giants face the prospect of some big name departures this summer
12:29, 19 Jul 2026
Defender Emmanuel Fernandez could be ready for "a heck of a step up" to Arsenal from Rangers this summer.
That is according to former Gunners' great Alan Smith amid escalating speculation about the future of the centre-back.
Fernandez was part of a major summer recruitment drive last summer when he arrived in Glasgow from Peterborough in a deal worth around £3.5m.
After a slow start to life at Ibrox, the 24-year-old went on to enjoy an impressive campaign at the heart of Rangers' backline - with Stade Rennes, Feyenoord, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund among the clubs tracking the centre-back.
Premier League champions Arsenal have also reportedly tracked the centre-back, and Smith stated to Record Sport via BestBettingSites.co.uk : "That keeps popping up. Maybe they've had a good look at him, the analytics and all the rest of it, seen his figures.
"He's had a really topsy-turvy career. He's been all over the place, non-league, hasn't he?
"And it's only in the last year or so that he's come into what you would call, well, obviously, a very big football club in Rangers. And clearly, he's done well.
"He's 24 now. So after that checkered start to his football career, maybe he's ready, but a heck of a step up to go to a club like Arsenal."
Fernandez has already insisted he is in no rush to leave the club this summer - but he is not the only top-team player attracting attention this summer.
Connor Barron and Nico Raskin are attracting attention - while John Souttar and Danilo are also expected to leave the club.
And former Rangers' hero Charlie Miller reckons some of the big money offers will see decisions over players taken out of Derek McInnes' hands.
He told the Sunday Post: "Boys will leave. There is interest in four or five of the lads and a few will be moved on. One or two could go for really big money.
"So, we will see how that all shapes up between now and the transfer window closing at the start of September.
"Derek can't control that kind of thing, but he is in charge of what happens on the field and he will be hard but fair on the squad.
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"He will put demands on them and the players need to show they have all the attributes to deliver success."
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Derek McInnes
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Emmanuel Fernandez
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