Rangers defensive transfer failure could ultimately cost Michael Beale his job at Ibrox
Rangers were looking to prioritise the signing of a new centre-back at numerous points during the summer transfer window but their failure to get one in could ultimately cost Michael Beale his job.
Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, speaking to GiveMeSport reported on 17 August that a centre-back was one of the Light Blues’ priorities before the close of the window as they were taking their time over their next move.
Beale had been provided with nine signings in Glasgow this summer, including several attacking additions and has long been linked with a new centre-back addition despite completing a deal to bring back veteran Leon Balogun.
Several names had been linked with a move to Ibrox to shore up the Rangers defence, with Leicester City defender Harry Souttar the latest name in the frame in a potential deadline-day deal (Tom Collomosse, 1 September).
The Australian central defender, brother of Rangers defender John, was allowed to leave the King Power Stadium before the 11pm deadline with Rangers interested in a deal but no move materialised with the Gers needing to move players on as a result.
First-team star Ben Davies had been linked with a last-gasp Ibrox exit to join Stoke City on deadline day but Rangers swiftly rejected any chance of Davies’ departure (Chris Jack, The Herald, 1 September), with Michael Beale also confirming that he didn’t want to lose the former Preston North End defender.
Several other defensive names have been linked with a move to Ibrox, Nottingham Forest defender Jonathan Panzo, Leeds United’s Charlie Cresswell and Peterborough’s Ronnie Edwards were all top targets at various points throughout the summer, but to no avail for Beale.
Certainly, Rangers possess a number of options in the position but none of them are reliable enough to contend with a 30-plus campaign throughout, with the likes of Conor Goldson, John Souttar and Ben Davies all enduring spells on the treatment table last season.
Also, the problems Beale faces at centre-back have certainly reared their ugly head again so far this campaign with the Gers already conceding 11 goals in their seven games in all competitions keeping just one clean sheet (SofaScore), against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on 26 August.
Such stats certainly don’t make for impressive reading with Beale expected to mount a serious title challenge on Celtic and Sunday’s Old Firm game (3 September) at Ibrox will be contested on the back of a disappointing and dreadful performance against PSV Eindhoven in a 5-1 Champions League qualifying defeat on Wednesday 30 August, one which highlighted the grand deficiencies in Beale’s back line.
Rangers were supposed to fix those issues in the transfer market but simply failed to do so now Beale could well suffer the repercussions, and a similar defeat to Wednesdays against Celtic on Sunday could well prove damaging to Beale’s long-term role at Ibrox.
A January defensive redemption plan may simply come too late for the former Queens Park Rangers coach, it was an issue that needed to be solved weeks ago.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton has delivered his Michael Beale sack verdict ahead of Sunday’s crucial Old Firm encounter.