Rangers Keeping a Close Eye on Rabbi Matondo’s Future as Hannover 96’s Promotion Hopes Hang in the Balance

Rangers are keen to offload Rabbi Matondo permanently this summer, but their hopes of securing a transfer fee for the Welsh winger depend heavily on Hannover 96’s ability to win promotion to the Bundesliga. The German club, who took Matondo on loan in January, negotiated a £1 million purchase clause into his deal. However, that clause is conditional—it will only be triggered if Hannover achieve promotion to the German top flight.

Matondo made an immediate impact at the club, scoring a dramatic last-minute winner on his debut against Hamburg. However, since then, Hannover’s form has dipped, and their promotion hopes have started to waver. Their latest result, a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Kaiserslautern, was their fourth consecutive draw, leaving them in eighth place in an extremely tight Bundesliga 2 table. With only six points separating the top nine clubs, Hannover are still in the mix, but they need to rediscover their winning touch quickly if they want to return to the Bundesliga.

Hannover’s Promotion Hopes Stalling

The goalless draw against Kaiserslautern didn’t reflect the nature of the match, which was full of attacking intent from both sides. Hannover dominated proceedings, registering 24 shots on goal compared to Kaiserslautern’s 17. Despite their attacking efforts, they were unable to find a breakthrough, with Matondo himself starting the match but being substituted around the hour mark as manager Stefan Leitl searched for fresh attacking solutions.

Hannover captain Ron-Robert Zieler, the experienced former Germany international, was left bewildered by the result. He acknowledged that his side played well but were simply unlucky not to convert their chances into goals. However, he remained confident that if Hannover continue to perform at this level, they will eventually see their results improve.

“There is hardly a team that comes to Betzenberg and dominates Kaiserslautern like that,” Zieler told the Hannover 96 website. “We had loads of chances. I can’t explain how this game ended 0-0, but that’s football. If I just judge the performance, we played a very good away game here. Unfortunately, the team didn’t reward itself.

“With this performance, we can look positively towards the next few weeks, because if we keep playing like this, we will be rewarded at some point.”

For Rangers, Hannover’s ability to turn their strong performances into results will be crucial. The Scottish club are desperate to move Matondo off their wage bill, and if Hannover fail to achieve promotion, the £1 million option to buy will be void. That would leave Rangers with the task of finding another buyer for a player who has struggled to justify his salary since joining from Schalke 04 in 2022.

Matondo’s Struggles at Rangers

Rabbi Matondo arrived at Ibrox with high expectations after Rangers paid £2.5 million to sign him from Schalke, but he has struggled to establish himself in Glasgow. Injuries and inconsistency hampered his progress, and he was never able to fully convince managers Giovanni van Bronckhorst or Michael Beale that he deserved a regular place in the starting XI.

Although Matondo has shown flashes of his potential, his lack of end product has been a major frustration. His searing pace makes him a threat in transition, but his final decision-making and finishing have often let him down. As a result, when Philippe Clement took charge of Rangers, he quickly deemed Matondo surplus to requirements, paving the way for his January loan move to Hannover.

At Hannover, Matondo has found more game time and a system that appears to suit him, but if the club fail to win promotion, Rangers will need to explore other options. Given his wages and previous struggles in Scotland, selling him could prove challenging unless another Bundesliga or Championship club shows interest.

Rangers’ Summer Plans: More Departures Expected

Matondo isn’t the only Rangers player out on loan whom the club hopes to sell this summer. The Ibrox board, led by sporting director Nils Koppen, are looking to trim the squad and recoup transfer fees for several high earners currently away from the club.

One of the biggest potential sales is Ecuadorian midfielder Jose Cifuentes, who is currently playing for Aris Thessaloniki in Greece. Unlike Matondo, Cifuentes has enjoyed a relatively successful spell on loan, helping Aris push for a league title. Rangers are reportedly looking to recoup around £4 million for the midfielder, and if Aris secure silverware, his stock could rise even further.

Meanwhile, Kieran Dowell and Ben Davies are both on loan at Birmingham City, where they have played key roles in a strong season for the Championship side. Birmingham recorded their 30th win of the campaign this past weekend, further boosting the profiles of the two Rangers loanees. If they continue their impressive performances, Rangers could look to cash in on them during the summer window.

With Rangers expected to be active in the transfer market ahead of next season, offloading these players will be key to generating funds for new signings. The club are planning for another title push under Philippe Clement and will need reinforcements in key areas, but that will require financial flexibility. Moving on high earners like Matondo and Cifuentes would go a long way in helping balance the books and free up space for fresh additions.

The Next Few Months Are Crucial

As the season enters its decisive months, Rangers will be keeping a close eye on Hannover’s results in Bundesliga 2. If the German side can rediscover their early-season form and push for promotion, it would significantly increase the chances of Matondo making his move permanent. However, if they continue to struggle and fail to go up, Rangers could be left scrambling to find another buyer in what may be a difficult market.

With several other loanees also playing for their futures, Rangers’ summer transfer window is shaping up to be a busy one. The club will hope that by the time the season concludes, they will have a clearer picture of which players they can offload and how much money they can bring in to reinvest in the squad.

For now, Hannover’s promotion fight remains one of the most important subplots in Rangers’ summer plans. If the German side can turn their performances into results, Rangers could finally be able to move on from the Matondo experiment and focus fully on the squad rebuild under Clement.