Clearly, there will be summer work to bring more players to Ibrox with Rangers requiring further depth in more positions.
While some clickbait outlets claim to be able to read manager Philippe Clement’s mind and know what positions he seeks in the next window, but Ibrox Noise offers our own take.
Where do Rangers need to strengthen on the pitch?
Well, if we start with the defence, unfortunately for fans who dislike Connor Goldson (and we probably include ourselves on Ibrox Noise here) he and John Souttar are almost certainly going to be remaining two of the alpha stoppers.
The doubts here are about Leon Balogun due to his age, and Ben Davies due to his appalling wage and lack of value.
If we factor in the fullback positions, there’s a little uncertainty for sure in this area.
We’d bring in one CB and a new fullback, with it said that Fluminese’s Jefte is being earmarked there.
In midfield, aside John Lundstram’s well-documented contract issues, it’s Nico Raskin, who hasn’t kicked a ball in anger in months, Ryan Jack who is perennially injured, and Mohamed Diomande. We want to include Sterling but he seems to be on the wings mostly.
Rangers are already signing Dio anyway so that’s £4.5M. But it’s clear new blood is needed here. What Rangers have isn’t enough and we’d recommend one major new CM/DM comes in. Unless Sterling goes back to this position, we’d love that.
In the 10 slot we have Cantwell, Lawrence, Lowry and Hagi. Two of them are out of the picture. Cantwell and Lawrence are the remaining two, and we suspect the boss will want another body in there.
On the wings, yes, desperate issues here. We theoretically have Rabbi Matondo, Oscar Cortes, Ross McCausland, Scott Wright, Abdallah Sima and the utility man Dujon Sterling who Clement seems to prefer here at the moment.
But most of this lot is injured or unavailable or just not good enough, so yes, a new winger is surely required.
And up front is a huge debate of contention. No matter how many times Ibrox Noise demonstrates that Cyriel Dessers is actually overall offering more to Rangers than Shankland does to Hearts, he’s derided as being rubbish and wasteful. His one failing is offsides but aside that? He’s more efficient than Shankland and even Miovski. But that won’t stop Rangers fans degrading him.
The other two options are Danilo and Silva, unless we count Roofe as getting a new deal. If Rangers are to secure Silva this summer, then we can’t justify another striker. Simple as. We’ll have three, maybe even four. That’s enough. And no, none of them are Erling Haaland but we can’t afford to have potentially five on the books.
Some of this depends on Silva, Sima and Cortes becoming permanent. Diomande will be so that’s a non-story. And contracts being renewed.
But it doesn’t help us in the 10 slot, or CM/DM, or at the back, so we’d suggest, with things as they currently are, we need a CB, a FB, a DM, a 10, and a winger.
We’d expect around at LEAST five new bodies coming in, this manager being a big proponent of a large squad.
Which could mean around 9 signings this summer if all loans become permanent. Even more if contracts get renewed. It’s a little up in the air.
But time will tell as always.