Rangers are going to have a very busy transfer window with Philippe Clement already well down the line on making signing number one.
The manager knows that he will be shopping on a budget so has to make every penny count and Nils Koppen will have his work cut out fielding calls for potential arrivals and departures.
News has broken of an early transfer bid as Rangers look to give Philippe Clement the squad needed to win the Scottish Premiership and shore up his defence.
Rangers fee for Jose Cordoba explained
Jose Cordoba is set for a move from Levski Sofia and Ibrox is reported to be his next destination and Clement’s first signing of the summer.
The fee, as claimed in Panama, is around the £3.2m mark, however, there has been a twist in the tale.
Clement knows that money is going to be tight this summer, but is confident that he can still get the players he needs:
“We know we have less money than our competition because they have more money and they have Champions League money now. So, we need to be more inventive, the recruitment needs to be more inventive.
“If your opponent has more money and can spend more you have to work better. That needs to be the challenge to make things better. We have to find better players for cheaper prices.
“It’s not always the player that costs more who at the end has the highest value.”
Rangers need to shop smart in the summer transfer window
Rangers have to be creative with the transfer business that they conduct this summer.
The return of Oscar Cortes on another loan-to-buy deal is optimistic and sees a player who can contribute now have their fee delayed.
As for Jose Cordoba, the £3.2m deal for the 22-year old looks a lot better when you realise that the initial payment is only £2m, according to Scott Burn of The Daily Record, the transfer is “on”.
For players who might not be a sure thing, Rangers have to protect themselves.
For Cortes, it’s because of the hamstring surgery he underwent just as he was starting to impress.
As for Cordoba, with 10 international caps to his name, it’s because of the step he is taking to a team where a draw is as bad as a defeat.
Nobody knows how a player will adapt to new surroundings, especially when the pressure is enormous.
Cordoba looks the part physically, but as we’ve seen in recent weeks, the top couple of inches can be more important when it comes to the difference between success and failure.
Ticking boxes for a player trading model is one thing, identifying what players can become title winners and carry the weight of expectation is another altogether.
