Rangers ‘rebuild budget’ set to be helped by ‘lavish’ millions after Celtic loss – Tom English
Rangers will get millions in their “rebuild budget” with the departure of numerous players on “lavish wages” this summer, according to BBC Sport’s Tom English.
But whether it will be enough for Michael Beale to adequately close the gap on Celtic after another defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday (30 April) has been called into question, with no room for misses in the transfer market.
The Light Blues shot themselves in the foot again in the Old Firm derby to lose 1-0 and make it no wins in four for the Ibrox boss, who himself tipped a major rebuild after the game [Sky Sports], which will benefit from departing players on expiring contracts.
In his report after the defeat at Hampden for BBC Sport English wrote: “If they have sense, [Beale’s] board will listen to him. The great imponderable is how much can they afford to back him?
“What does a rebuild budget look like at Rangers? How much have they got? They have multiple players on lavish wages who are out of contract in the summer.
“Those millions will help recast the team, but pretty much every move they make needs to be astute. They must look at [Ange] Postecoglou’s unerring accuracy in the transfer market with some jealousy and awe.”
Clear out
Perhaps if Rangers had managed to dig out a result in the cup it would have been possible to argue there was merit to keeping some of the current squad before they leave.
But the repeat errors that have undone one Celtic clash after another has left the club with little option but to perform major surgery.
They cannot make rash decisions but if there was a temptation to allow sentimentality to creep in anywhere this summer Sunday’s events should have shut the door once and for all.
Beale will start next season under big pressure to change his side’s fortunes in the Old Firm derby, but he needs help from the hierarchy to give him the tools to do it.
The manager will be furious that he could have three wins over Ange Postecoglou by now if his players could just do the basics right and not undermine their own performances.
But when the same issues persist it won’t ultimately matter for long, and after Giovanni van Bronckhorst only lasted a year of underperforming against the Hoops, Beale won’t do much better if he can’t turn that record around.
In other Rangers news, a former Gers boss has raved about one of the first expected arrivals Ibrox in the coming weeks.