Ibrox Noise sources have confirmed that Rangers will not add any further signings until the club reduces its current squad numbers.
While the group appears surprisingly light in certain positions, Rangers face a significant logistics issue behind the scenes. The squad contains too many players overall, including several midfielders and surplus men who no longer feature in Derek McInnes’ plans.
Simply put, Rangers have deals close, but cannot complete them because the current squad carries too much bulk. Bodies must leave before the board can ratify further additions.
The big ones on the lips of many supporters are those of Jens Hjertho-Dahl and Vanja Dragojevic, but neither can be confirmed before funds are raised and slots are created.
Rangers must create space
The situation explains why Rangers appear to have made progress with several targets without actually announcing anyone. Negotiations can continue and agreements can move close, but the club cannot keep adding salaries and transfer costs while unwanted players remain on the books.
McInnes inherited a badly balanced squad containing plenty of central options but insufficient cover across the defence. Rangers need reinforcements, particularly at centre back, yet the overall size of the group creates an obstacle.
That imbalance leaves the manager in an awkward position. Rangers have numbers, but they do not necessarily have the right numbers in the right areas.
Departures now take priority
Consequently, the immediate focus has shifted towards moving players out. John Souttar remained behind while the squad travelled to Spain, with interest surrounding the Scotland defender. Meanwhile, Danilo also appears surplus to requirements and Rangers remain open to an exit.
Nico Raskin and Connor Barron have attracted interest as well, although Rangers will only sanction moves that meet their valuations. Other peripheral players may also need loans or permanent transfers before McInnes can reshape the group properly.
The manager cannot simply stockpile players. He needs a tighter squad filled with footballers he trusts and intends to use.
Deals remain close
The encouraging element is that Rangers have not stopped working on incoming business. Sources indicate that deals remain close and the recruitment department has several options ready.
However, Rangers cannot press the final button until departures create the necessary room. That applies both to squad registration and the wage budget, even if the new ownership has funds available.
This is not necessarily a question of Rangers lacking money. It is a question of responsible squad management and avoiding an even larger collection of unwanted players.
Patience required
Supporters understandably want immediate additions, especially with the competitive season approaching and obvious gaps remaining in defence. Nevertheless, the next announcement may involve a departure rather than an arrival.
Once Rangers begin clearing the surplus, incoming movement should follow quickly. Until then, McInnes and the recruitment team must wait.
The targets appear to be there. The negotiations appear advanced. Rangers now need exits before they can finish the next stage of their rebuild.