With Rangers fans eagerly awaiting the identity and profile of the next signings at Ibrox, it’s fair to suggest that another midfielder will not be imminent.
Derek McInnes revealed the club is very close to one signing, with hopes that another could be completed in time for the trip to Tannadice on Friday for the Premiership opener – the Rangers transfer news continues with Olwethu Makhanya set to be the next arrival.
With a defender on the way, a wide attacker should be next given the greater need, but Rangers also need to move players out quickly to balance the squad and the wage bill.
There are currently 11 central midfielders within the first-team squad. That is an unsustainable number. Simple.
Rangers massive centre midfield ‘problem’
Vanja Dragojevic, Dan Neil, Cammy Devlin, Mo Diomande, Tochi Chukwuani, Nico Raskin, Connor Barron, Nedim Bajrami, Thelo Aasgaard, Lyall Cameron, Jose Cifuentes.
That list is beyond stacked.
Not all of the players are on a level footing. Some are all but guaranteed to play every week, a few are out of the picture and a couple are earmarked for a sale.
How many midfielders will Derek McInnes run with?
Ok, let’s shoot.
Any more than six is too many, especially as one or two players will be able to feature in a conventional midfield role, as well as in a wide forward berth.
Thelo Aasgaard would be a great example of this and he looks well placed to get a run in the team. The same could be said for Nedim Bajrami, but he is way down the pecking order and should be offloaded in the coming weeks.
A nominal fee should be within reach for the Albanian international who is thought to have signed a four-year deal under Phillipe Clement in the summer of 2024.
New arrivals Dragojevic, Neil, and Devlin won’t be going anywhere.
The arrival of the former Hearts man puts Connor Barron’s place in jeopardy. There are similarities in both players, but the Australian is more combative and aggressive.
He raises the tempo and sparks a reaction from the crowd. We have seen that already from the pre-season games against St. Etienne and West Ham. He has made a great first impression.
When it comes to Diomande and Chukwuani, we have a very interesting conversation.
Is there space for both of them? That’s debatable.
Some media sources have suggested that the Ivorian has been earmarked for a sale, although he appears happy to stay.
It would be notable if Chukwuani was deemed surplus to requirements just six months after his arrival, but he has quite the task on his hands to win a starting spot.
Midfield departures at Rangers
It’s well publicised that Nico Raskin is earmarked for a marquee sale this summer.
The Belgian is expected to move on soon, with interest in the player from Spain and Italy.
A reported fee of around £20 million will be enough to take the former Standard Liege man away from Glasgow and now is the time for player and club to shake hands and move on.
That sale will be critical for the club’s balance of trading in the current window.
No real future at Ibrox
Beyond Raskin, Lyall Cameron has no real future at Ibrox. He isn’t going to play. There are too many players ahead of him and a permanent exit would be in his best interests.
He will have offers from Scotland and possibly in the lower leagues in England.
Jose Cifuentes is taking a wage for nothing. His move has been another expensive mistake and the sooner a solution is found the better.
The Colombian is now in the final year of his Rangers contract, but the club is unlikely to receive a fee. A final loan or a mutual agreement will follow.
