Excelsior expects imminent offers for Rangers target Casper Widell
The Swedish centre-back has emerged as a key defensive target for Danny Rohl's rebuild at Ibrox, with a price tag that won't break the bank
Excelsior Rotterdam is bracing for incoming bids for captain Casper Widell, with Rangers among the clubs circling the 23-year-old Swedish centre-back.
For Rangers, Widell represents the kind of signing that checks multiple boxes at once: young, experienced beyond his years, a leader, and available at a price point that fits a club trying to rebuild smartly rather than expensively.
What Rangers would be getting
Widell has been a regular starter in the Eredivisie and has racked up 99 appearances for Excelsior since joining from Helsingborgs IF in 2023.
Last season, he made 34 league appearances and wore the captain’s armband while leading Excelsior to survival. Born on May 5, 2003, Widell is still just 23. His older brother Melker currently plays for Swansea City in the English Championship.
The estimated transfer fee sits between £2 million and £2.5 million, a figure driven down by the fact that Widell’s contract runs until June 2027. With just one year remaining after this summer, Excelsior’s leverage is limited.
Why Rangers need defensive reinforcements
Danny Rohl’s arrival as Rangers manager has brought a clear mandate: fix the backline. The club finished third in the Scottish Premiership, and Rohl has reportedly made strengthening the centre-back positions a priority this window.
Rangers have tracked Widell for some time, with interest first surfacing in late May, with both Rangers Review on May 30, 2026, and Teamtalk on June 1, 2026, reporting the interest.
What this means for the transfer landscape
Rangers aren’t the only club watching. Derby County and Blackburn Rovers are also monitoring Widell’s situation. As of late June 2026, no official offers have been reported.
For Excelsior, the calculus is straightforward. They’ve developed a player who has outgrown their level, and extracting a fee now is far better than losing him on a free transfer next summer.
If Rangers do land Widell, they’d be adding a player with 99 senior appearances, 6 goals, captaincy experience, and years of development still ahead, at a cost of £2 million to £2.5 million.