Quite a few Rangers fans have contacted us asking why we’re ‘signing’ players when the window hasn’t even opened yet.

Why there’s such heavy talk of your Butlands, Sterlings, Dowells and even that Honduran chap the media and clickbait sites are hyping up as arriving at Ibrox.

Well it’s really very simple – the window is purely, 100% for two things – bids, and registrations.

You cannot formally submit a financial bid for a player under contract, UNLESS it’s during the transfer windows, OR he is in the last 6 months of his deal.

Which is why Rangers ended up paying to secure Jack Simpson and Scott Wright earlier than the summer, and why we had to wait till summer before John Souttar arrived, because we refused to pay Hearts’ asking price in January.

Sterling and all the others are all in the last 6 months of their deals, meaning these are all precontract – they expire this summer and that means Rangers can legally talk to them and secure them before the window even opens.

It’s why we could, if we play some cards right, get a clutch of new players before preseason even starts, and free players at that.

While we understand the Butland deal is currently off over wage demands, he could change his mind. The number of times we get good information, which then turns out wrong because a player or someone changed their mind or circumstances altered and which made us out to be ‘liars’ or ‘wrong’ we have lost count of.

But regardless of that, we are in for a tonne of players because of registration rules and precontracts.

In terms of those under contract and not 6 months to go, it is also legal to approach their club and ask about that player’s availability. A message can also be sent to their agent but the club MUST seek permission from the club first and foremost to engage on any level. A feeler of a bid can also be sent, to see if the selling club might be interested.

But when it comes to 6 months left and precontracts, the ‘buying’ club is now completely allowed to directly talk to the player, which is why Ryan Kent is chatting with Fenerbahce and others.

And that’s why we’re in for so many players despite the window not yet being open.

But in a fortnight, it will be, and all the bids can start and all the registrations. During the window you can sign anyone if you have the money and the club agrees to sell. And they want to come.

But that’s why we’re in for half of Europe, because dem’s the rules.