Ben Godfrey Joins Rangers: A Proven Defender's Journey

Ben Godfrey arrives at Rangers with the look of a signing made for the here and now, not one filed away under “project”.

The 28-year-old defender joins ahead of the 2026/27 campaign on an initial deal that includes an option to make the move permanent next summer, handing Derek McInnes a proven operator with serious mileage at the top level.

This is a career built the hard way. Godfrey started at hometown club York City, far from the glamour of the elite game, before stepping into the Norwich City academy and forcing his way into the first team. By 2018/19 he was no longer a prospect but a pillar, playing a key role in Norwich’s promotion push and helping drive the Canaries into the Premier League.

That season changed his profile. In the summer of 2020, Everton moved to bring him to Goodison Park, where he was thrown straight into the intensity of the Merseyside derby, debuting in a 2-2 draw that underlined the scale of the stage he had reached. Across his time in England, he amassed over 100 Premier League appearances and earned senior caps for England, a marker of the level he operated at during his peak years there.

The journey then took him to Serie A. In 2024, Godfrey signed for Atalanta, adding Italian football to a CV already rich in experience and tactical education. The second half of last season sent him north again, this time on loan to Danish Superliga side Brøndby, where he added another style of football – and another set of pressures – to his game.

Now it is Rangers’ turn to tap into that experience.

“I am buzzing, I am really happy to be here,” Godfrey said after completing the move. “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.”

McInnes is banking on exactly that blend of hunger and know-how.

“Ben is a player who has competed at a very high level throughout his career,” the Rangers manager said. “He’s played in the Premier League, been involved with England, and brings a lot of experience with him.

“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.”

From York to Norwich, from Goodison to Serie A and the Danish top flight, Godfrey has climbed each rung with a clear pattern: once he settles, he becomes central. Rangers now hand him another stage and, with silverware the expectation rather than the dream, his impact will be measured not in appearances alone but in whether that medal count grows.