Transfer window – how Rangers can save serious money…

If there is a small piece of the jigsaw which may be nicely forming this transfer window, it is left midfield.

Long-held as a problem with the insufficient Josh Windass and Aaron Nemane as Rangers’ only two left wingers, Pedro Caixinha tried Niko Kranjcar too in desperation and the Croat, again, was left wanting.

Subsequently Rangers were beyond desperate to land Hearts’ Jamie Walker, and when that saga ultimately came to nothing, Rangers’ options there were disappointing at best.

And when Lee Wallace ended up injured, left midfield became an even bigger hazard with the loss of another possibility there.

Over time though, the jigsaw may just have solved itself thanks to the imminent return of Wallace plus an unexpected bonus in the form of Wales international Declan John.

Very quietly this unheralded Cardiff loanee has won everyone over, and some would make a strong case that the left back signed for squad depth only has ended up being one of Rangers’ best three players overall. It is no shock we have secured him permanently and are likely to get a decent fee if we should sell. Good business sense.

But there is little doubt his best work is done in the opposition half – frankly some of his individual play has been outstanding, and the kind of thing we thought his ‘rival’ Josh Windass would produce but has not.

John has been slightly wasted in the LB slot, covering for Wallace, with defending not his absolute best suit, but with Wallace’s return, John can finally shift up to the LW berth, make it his own, while Windass takes his rightful place on the bench or at another club.

Meanwhile Rangers are heavily linked still with Brighton’s out of favour Jamie Murphy so that is another option, but it is one which will cost.

If Rangers do not get Murphy, having, as things stand, Tavernier and Candeias on one side and Wallace and John on the other really is not a bad setup really.

And if we do stump up the cash for the ex-Motherwell attacker, it is even more squad depth of a higher level than we currently have – but the point is we do not need to splash out – the solutions may already be on our doorstep.

Of course it is ifs and buts. Graeme Murty may have Murphy in mind for the LW slot and John for LB – he might see Wallace now as a bench player. Who knows? We may also end up selling Tavernier and ripping that plan up too.

But as things stand, Rangers do actually have a bit of potential down each flank now, and that is a better situation than what we had before.