Leon Balogun insists everyone at Rangers was 'heartbroken' when Steven Gerrard took the decision to leave the club last year.
The Nigerian centre-half enjoyed a good spell at Ibrox that was intermittently plagued by injury concerns despite winning the league title and the Scottish Cup. Under Gerrard's successor, however, Balogun fell on hard times and never featured regularly for Gio Van Bronckhorst after being a first-team star under the Liverpool icon. The big defender signed a one-year deal in 2021 but found himself out of Ibrox in the following summer.
The 34-year-old, whose departure did leave a certain void in defensive options, was then handed a career revival through now Rangers manager Michael Beale, after he took up his first permanent managerial role with Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship in the summer before jumping ship back to Glasgow.
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Balogun, looking back at Gerrard's exit, admits it was tough news to take and says there was a tangible bond between staff and players during his time at Ibrox. Speaking on the Beautiful Game Podcast, he said: "Joe, Calvin and I were with the national team when it happened. We could not believe he had left. We were like, 'he won't leave we are doing too well'.
"We were four or so points clear at the time. It was weird and I think everyone was heartbroken, even them. Steven Gerrard, Mick Beale, Gary McCallister and the rest of the staff, we built a relationship there. I only worked under them for 18 months, but some players were there for three years.
"So there was a close bond. When they first left, I was like 'they have left us!' In the end we understood that he wanted to go to Premier League, and I think he turned down a few offers before that."
The big defender's exit raised questions among fans during Gio Van Bronckhorst's tenure, with Ibrox hero Ally McCoist even probing on a BT Sports broadcast why the decision was taken to let Balogun go. The 34-year-old admits he is marked for life from his time at Ibrox and says he never wanted to leave.
He added: "I was very sad to leave. The club infected me with their blue fever. I did not leave Rangers. It is more like I was released. That is the fairest way to put it. I did not expect it. At one point down the line I got prepared but I still did not expect that. I never received an offer. We were talking but I never received anything. I wanted to stay. I love the club. I felt like I had found a home there."
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