Balogun leaves Glasgow Rangers as he and club part ways at the end of his second spell

NIGERIAN centreback Leon Balogun has announced his departure from Scottish Premiership giants Rangers bringing an end to his two spells with the club which began in 2020 that saw him win the  league title with the club.

Balogun, 36, took to social media yesterday, to share an emotional farewell message with supporters, confirming that he will not be returning to Ibrox for the 2025/26 season. He rejoined Rangers for a second spell in July 2023 as a free agent, initially signing a one-year deal that was extended for an additional season.

Last season, Balogun's return added much-needed experience and leadership to the Rangers  backline, culminating in a Scottish League Cup triumph in December 2023, where they defeated Aberdeen in the final. Balogun previously enjoyed a highly successful stint at Ibrox from 2020 to 2022.

During that period, he played a key role in Rangers’ historic 55th league title win in 2021, their Scottish Cup victory in 2022 and an impressive run to the Uefa Europa League final that same year. Over both spells at the club, Balogun made 114 appearances, contributing three goals and four assists while earning a reputation as a dependable figure in defence.

Despite featuring in Rangers' final three home matches of the 2024/25 season, the veteran defender did not have the opportunity to say a formal goodbye to the fans. Reflecting on his exit, Balogun expressed regret over the lack of a proper send-off, which is what prompted him to use social media to say goodbye.

Balogun wrote: "If I would have known that the last two games of the season were my last for the club I would have made sure to say goodbye to all of you accordingly. Unfortunately I wasn't afforded that opportunity which saddens me as I would have liked to have walked round Ibrox one last time and returned all the love and support you've given me during my two  stints.

"I don't know when I'll be back but I promise I won't be a stranger. Thank you for making me feel at home and appreciated wherever we met."

A former stalwart of the Super Eagles, Balogun’s club career spans an impressive list of teams across Europe, including Queens Park Rangers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Mainz 05. He was a member of Nigeria's World Cup team to Russia 2018 and the 2019 African Cup of Nations.