Ben Godfrey Joins Rangers on Season-Long Deal

Ben Godfrey has swapped Serie A for Scotland, joining Rangers on a season-long deal ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, with an option to make the move permanent next summer.

It is a signing that carries weight. The 28-year-old arrives with more than 100 Premier League appearances, England caps and a CV that has taken him from York to Norwich, from Everton to Atalanta, with a recent spell in Denmark at Brøndby sharpening his edge.

“I am buzzing, I am really happy to be here,” Godfrey said after the move was confirmed. “I know the size of the club so it is a massive honour to be wearing the shirt this season, and I can’t wait to get started. I am looking forward to meeting the boys and hopefully helping this club achieve what it deserves, which is silverware and exciting times.”

For Rangers, this is not a punt on potential. This is a defender who has climbed every rung the hard way.

Born in York, Godfrey broke through at his hometown club York City, earning a move to the Norwich City academy. His rise there was rapid. By the 2018/19 season he had forced his way into the first team, becoming a key figure in a Norwich side that surged to promotion to the English Premier League. That campaign turned him from promising youngster into proven operator.

Everton came calling in the summer of 2020. Godfrey walked straight into the heat of the Merseyside derby, making his debut in a 2-2 draw that underlined the scale of the stage he had reached. Across his time at Goodison Park he built a reputation as a strong, aggressive and versatile defender, comfortable across the back line and trusted in some of the Premier League’s most demanding fixtures.

The next chapter took him abroad. In 2024 he joined Atalanta in Serie A, a move that broadened his tactical education and exposed him to a different kind of footballing intensity. The second half of last season sent him north again, on loan to Danish Superliga side Brøndby, where he added European experience and regular minutes to his résumé.

Now comes Rangers, and a different kind of pressure.

Manager Derek McInnes made no attempt to play down the significance of the addition. “Ben is a player who has competed at a very high level throughout his career. He’s played in the Premier League, been involved with England, and brings a lot of experience with him,” McInnes said. “He’s a strong, athletic defender with good qualities both on and off the ball, and we believe he can add a lot to the squad. We’re pleased to get him in, and I’m looking forward to working with him in the season ahead.”

The description fits the profile: power, recovery pace, comfort in possession and a mentality shaped by years in elite environments. For a club chasing trophies and demanding standards, those traits matter as much as any statistic.

Godfrey knows exactly what is expected. Rangers demand silverware. He has said as much himself. The question now is simple: can a defender forged in the Premier League and tested across Europe become the backbone of a side intent on putting more trophies in the cabinet?