Rangers transfer duo Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen have some big decisions to make ahead of the summer transfer window.
Whilst Rangers are still well in the hunt for a domestic treble, the squad’s limitations were shown up in the Round of 16 Europa League clash with Benfica.
A stuttering start to the season, persistent injuries, and a general imbalance in the squad has contributed to a sentiment that change isn’t just coming in the summer, but that it’s necessary.
Throw into the bargain the fact six important first-teamers are out of contract come the end of the season – and high-earners amongst them at that – and suddenly money starts to move around the squad.
The fact Rangers have four loan players in the attacking areas also points to substantial investment in this area of the squad.
Here, we look at the four main areas of improvement for Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen this summer and perhaps the Rangers director is in Italy right now firming up a few handshakes.
Rangers will need a new left-back in transfer window
Starting in defensive to offensive order, left-back is undoubtedly an area of impending change.
Borna Barisic is out of contract in the summer and Turkish side Trabzonspor are reportedly sniffing around.
Ridvan Yilmaz is now the starting Rangers left-back and after six years at Ibrox it’s looking like the time has come for Croatian counterpart Borna to bid us farewell.
Now Rangers will go back into the market, with Brazilian full-back Jefte the name most prominently mentioned.
The Ibrox side are said to have come close to a deal for APOEL’s on-loan Fluminense left-back with some claiming it’ll be revisited in the summer.
Rangers should sign a new centre-half
Given that Rangers have – categorically – the best defensive record and therefore the best defence in the Scottish Premiership, centre-back is a continuing area of concern.
John Souttar has emerged as Connor Goldson’s bonafide centre-back partner in recent weeks – it only took six years – but as a result the other options have founds chances at a premium.
With Leon Balogun out of contract and Ben Davies, well, Ben Davies, both these guys may well be moved come the summer.
Rangers fans want to see a top-level option come in and match or better even Connor Goldson and we have one eye on the emerging markets the club are said to be keen on.
Whilst there have been scant links to defensive options, the latest name doing the rounds is Leopold Querfeld but is this a name that would satisfy the Ibrox fans?
Rangers (probably) won’t sign a right-winger
It feels like we’ve been talking about Rangers’ problem right-wing position for a long time because – and I don’t know how else to tell you this – we have been.
On the other side of the pitch, there might be doubts about who will be there next season, but it’s on the right where the gaping gap in quality remains.
Abdallah Sima, Fabio Silva and Oscar Cortes all prefer the other side of the park – and will all subsequently have their loan deals come to an end in the summer – whilst Rabbi Matondo is also more effective off the left.
On the right we have Scott Wright and Ross McCausland as really our only options, with Todd Cantwell playing there at times this season.
Yes, we expect big money to be spent on the left too, but maybe it’s about time we sorted out the opposite side of the park as well.
As for options, with Rangers’ eyes firmly on the South American transfer market young Argentine winger Luca Langoni has been mentioned.
Rangers (probably) should’ve signed a Striker
I know what you’re thinking. We said this last season as well. And you’d be right.
Despite spending the guts of £13m on new strikers last summer – Danilo (£6m) Cyriel Dessers (£4.5m), and Sam Lammers (£3.5m) – the club is still short in such a key position.
Danilo has had two serious injuries which have all but ended his season, Cyriel Dessers is notoriously hot and cold, whilst Sam Lammers is back in the Netherlands with Utrecht.
With Kemar Roofe also only just now recovering from a persistent run of injuries having missed the bulk of the season, it’s left a sizeable gap at the top end of the park.
A reliance on James Tavernier and Abdallah Sima in the first half of the season wasn’t amended in January with the defeat to Motherwell laying bare our finishing deficiencies.
You don’t need us to tell you the name on everyone’s lips heading into the summer.
Maybe it’s just a question of how big a transfer fee Rangers would have to pay to sign Lawrence Shankland.
