Rangers transfer rebuild now ‘completed’ after nine signings amid eight-month Michael Beale plan – Chris Jack
The “big rebuild has been completed” at Rangers ahead of the new season after nine incoming signings, according to Chris Jack.
The journalist suggested on The Herald website on Tuesday (1 August) that the work in the transfer market may be at an end after Michael Beale stayed “true to his word” having promised the “biggest rebuild” in years this summer.
According to Jack the Rangers boss started getting his transfer plans under way as soon as he took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst back in November, as he “put in the hours and clocked up the air miles” to meet targets in person and mitigate risk, but now has to deliver in the new season.
Jose Cifuentes is the only one of the nine-man haul not named by Jack but is expected to arrive ahead of the first game of the new season [Football Scotland, 31 July] against Kilmarnock on Saturday (5 August).
Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Leon Balogun and Jack Butland have been signed on free transfers, Abdallah Sima brought in on loan from Brighton, and with Cifuentes’ move from LAFC before his contract runs out in December imminent he will join Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Danilo as cash purchases.
Spending over?
Beale had been chasing another new defender this summer, with Jonathan Panzo from Nottingham Forest thought to be close at one point and talks held with Arsenal over Auston Trusty.
And with multiple other players expected to still leave before the transfer window shuts, including Glen Kamara who has been heavily linked with Leeds United and Scott Wright who is expected to move to Pendikspor, the ability to push the incoming business into double figures is still live.
The defence looks like the primary potential weakness within the squad pending an injury-hit group’s ability to stay fit this season.
Full-back in particular roared back into the frame after both Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz struggled in back-to-back friendlies against Olympiacos and Hoffenheim, so while Dujon Sterling is in the building Beale might be moved to acquire a left-sided specialist while he still can.
But whether the incoming or outgoing business is still set to continue for the next few weeks or not two things are already true.
The Rangers boss has done an impressive job revamping his squad. And it won’t mean anything if positive results don’t follow from the start of the season.
As with every window a couple more arrivals at the back would make the fanbase feel more confident, so most will be hoping the rebuild isn’t yet 100% completed.
In other Rangers news, transfer business has been tipped to have a heavy impact on the opener against Kilmarnock by a BBC pundit.