When Nils Koppen came into Rangers from PSV Eindhoven, the Belgian did so with a clear transfer mandate.
At the release of the club’s latest accounts, chairman John Bennett was clear that a more aggressive player trading model would be essential to cut operating losses.
The ‘fourth pillar’ of the club’s business model hasn’t so much been a reinforced structure in recent seasons as it has been a shoogly peg on which our financial hopes have been precariously balanced.
Rangers have had success in this department, namely Nathan Patterson, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey, but there have been too many big losses on the club’s books in the last few seasons.
That Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent walked out the door for nothing, despite once being tipped to rake in north of £25m between them, speaks of a structure in woeful disarray.
Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and John Lundstram are also first-team players who’ve come into Ibrox with considerable investment but who are about to walk out the door for nothing.
It’s a situation which quite simply has to change and as we head into Nils Koppen’s second transfer window, the signs are certainly positive.
Rangers line up double transfer
Rangers’ first transfer window under the management of Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen did have some success.
Whilst Fabio Silva has been much-maligned, the Wolves loanee has contributed and could still be a key player in the run-in.
Mohamed Diomande – set to join permanently for a fee of around £4.5m in the summer – has also been the poster boy for Rangers’ refreshed approach to the transfer market under Koppen.
And that brings us nicely to Oscar Cortes.
The young Colombian winger, 20, impressed in the brief flashes Rangers fans saw of the RC Lens talent before the Ibrox injury curse sent him to the operating theatre.
Rangers are interested in extending the initial loan-to-buy deal with discussions reportedly on the ‘right track’ to do so.
Reports close to the player and the Ligue 1 club have claimed that an agreement could be struck within days for the £3.8m ex-FC Millonarios star.
Potentially set to be signing number one of what promises to be a busy summer transfer window, it appears Nils Koppen and co are just getting started.
Jose Córdoba – a 22-year-old Panamanian centre-back impressing Bulgarian fans with Levski Sofia and players of Football Manager alike – looks set to be number two.
Chatter in Panama had singled out Rangers amongst ‘half of Europe’ in leading the pack for the defender and since then the Jose Cordoba story has only snowballed.
Internet sleuths pointed out that Cordoba had followed Rangers’ head of scouting operations Fraser Murray on Instagram before unfollowing him.
Reports that the defender was given the VIP treatment at Ibrox during the Kilmarnock game have also been followed up by suggestions Rangers are in ‘advanced talks’ over a £3m deal.
If both deals should come to fruition, then they would represent a solid start to the transfer window and would be symbolic of the new youthful, international direction taken by the club’s recruitment.
Ibrox exit for Lundstram and Barisic?
At the same time as Nils Koppen is tasked with securing players for Philippe Clement’s Rangers revolution, the Belgian is also tasked with moving players on.
There are no fewer than six out of contract first-team stars at Ibrox and Clement has previously been clear that discussions will be shelved to the summer.
At the same time, the Rangers boss has admitted – in the case of John Lundstram specifically – that the longer the Ibrox side wait the more likely someone else is to swoop in.
And it’s the Scouse midfielder who has been at the centre of much transfer reportage in recent weeks.
Whilst Croatian left-back Borna Barisic – filmed this week clashing with a supporter at Ibrox – looks set to move on, his midfield teammate also looks set to join him.
Barisic, who has spent six years at Ibrox in total, appears to have struck a deal with Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Lundstram – for whom Clement admits there is some distance between the two clubs in terms of wages – is also strongly linked with the Super Lig side.
Whilst newly promoted Ipswich Town have also been mentioned, reports from reputable Turkish sources have suggested a move to Trabzonspor is on for Lunny.
Throw into the mix the Trabzonspor president claiming three summer transfers into the club have already reached the ‘completion stage’ and everything becomes a little more serious.
As both players look increasingly likely to leave Rangers, the transfer murmurs around the club are already sending a firm message.
It’s out with the old, and in with the new, as Rangers look to build a modern, youthful side in the image of Nils Koppen, Philippe Clement and the Ibrox board.
