What's happening to former £20m man at Rangers will come as no shock to Sheffield United | OneFootball

Ben Godfrey struggled at Sheffield United last season - and he's going a similar way at Rangers

Sheffield United ushered in a new era in the summer of 2025 with the hiring of Ruben Selles, who replaced the ever-popular Chris Wilder in the Bramall Lane dugout - it was a decision that didn't last long whatsoever.

The Blades' new hierarchy, consisting of American investors Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, decided to pull the trigger on Wilder's second stint with his boyhood club after a Championship play-off final defeat at the hands of Sunderland - that was despite finishing on 90 points in the regular season, only eclipsed by both Leeds United and Burnley finishing on 100 points.

They turned to Selles, who had recently been surprisingly sacked by Hull City after pulling them to second tier safety, but it proved to be the right decision in the end by Tigers owner Acun Ilicali, who hired Sergej Jakirovic in his place and he went on to earn promotion to the Premier League - it was an entirely different story for Selles in South Yorkshire.

Ruben Selles was a disaster at Sheffield United - his recruitment wasn't much better

A respected coach who earned his UEFA Pro License at the age of 25, Selles won the United job despite just a 32.14 per cent win record at Hull, but it quickly turned into a disastrous appointment.

It was always going to be hard for anyone to follow on from Wilder, but a 4-1 loss at the hands of Bristol City on home soil wasn't the ideal way to start the 2025-26 campaign, and that was followed by four more league defeats, no goals scored and a 5-0 humiliation against Ipswich Town, which signalled the end of Selles' time at Sheffield United after less than three full months in charge.

One of his downfalls may have been poor recruitment over the summer months. The AI-led recruitment drive of youngsters such as Ehije Ukaki and Mihail Polendakov were not what was needed at the time, and a number of loanees arrived at Bramall Lane that failed to make an impact - the likes of Louie Barry, Chiedozie Ogbene and also Ben Godfrey.

Ben Godfrey once cost £20m - he was a far cry from that player at Sheffield United

Since breaking into the Norwich City first-team in 2018-19, Godfrey had been an athletic, versatile and well thought of defender, who ended up winning promotion to the Premier League with the Canaries, and then played 30 games for them at top flight level.

Impressive performances in the Premier League saw Godfrey move on in 2020 to Everton for what was an initial fee of £20 million, and he showed enough quality in his debut season with the Toffees to earn his maiden England call-up and subsequent caps.

Injuries and lack of selection though in the following years would halt Godfrey's momentum though, and when a £10 million move to Atalanta didn't work out in 2024, as well as a few months on loan with Ipswich Town, Sheffield United decided to bring him into the fold last summer.

Slotting straight in at right-back under Selles, it would be fair to say that Godfrey's brief time in the starting 11 was torrid - the Blades conceded seven goals in four matches when he was on the pitch, but personal issues meant he missed a number of United's following games.

Little was said about the nature of Godfrey's lengthy absence from first-team matters, and he did re-appear for the club's under-21's side on a couple of occasions in October and December, but after being withdrawn after 67 minutes against Charlton in September 2025, he'd never make another first-team appearance again.

In fact, he'd returned to Italy before the January 2026 transfer window had even opened, which is when the loan could be officially terminated, which was clear evidence that he was not in Wilder's plans - another British club though have decided to give Godfrey a chance of a career resurrection.

Ben Godfrey is now struggling at Rangers after Sheffield United stint ended early

Steve Cooper took Godfrey on loan for the final few months of 2025-26 at Brondby, but it was a return to the UK that the defender got this past summer, when Scottish giants Rangers loaned him in from Atalanta for the season.

With the Scottish Premiership seen by many as a lower standard to much of the Championship, it is perhaps a move that could see the 28-year-old find regular minutes for the first time in many years - but it's not quite happening like that for the York-born defender.

After being handed a starting berth by manager Derek McInnes for season-opener against Dundee United, Godfrey has not started a match since, with the pairing of Emmanuel Fernandez and Olwethu Makhanya preferred in the middle of the back four instead.

Utilised as a late substitute for now by his manager, Godfrey isn't getting the minutes that he perhaps would've expected when he arrived, and if Rangers continue to win games, given they're on a five-match Premiership winning streak, then the likelihood of game-time looks slim.