Thelwell under pressure to seal Rangers transfers before Champions League – Exclusive
Rangers are poised for a crucial double-header with Greek outfit Panathinaikos in the Champions League.
The pair will meet in the second qualifying round of the competition, but must progress through a third round and play-off tie to reach the group stage.
Rangers’ meeting with Panathinaikos will mark Russell Martin’s first competitive match in the Ibrox dugout as well as his first ever European clash.
As they aim to prepare for the crunch tie, Kevin Thelwell is striving to make significant steps in the transfer market.
Rangers have Champions League deadline to make signings
One Ibrox deal was completed some time ago, with Lyall Cameron signing a pre-contract agreement with Rangers in early February.
The Gers are set to follow that up with the acquisition of Max Aarons, who is close to joining on loan from AFC Bournemouth.
With the Panathinaikos tie looming at the end of July, football finance expert Dan Plumley – speaking exclusively to Ibrox News – believes the Bears must hurry with transfer business.
“Yes, absolutely, because you’ve got to get those players,” he said when asked if the Champions League was a new deadline.
“There are two parts of that, aren’t there? One, you’ve got to get them in and get them get them up and running to be able to put them out on the pitch and give you the best chance possible of winning football matches.
“But you’ve also got to then look at the registration rules for the competition and when players have got to be signed by and what that means if they’re signed pre the qualifiers.
“There’s all that contractual back-of-house stuff, but once you do know that for sure, then you’re going to go a little bit more active and press forward with some of those plans, and it’s absolutely geared around those qualifiers.
“Now, for Rangers, they have these single most important fixtures coming up in the next few weeks for sure.”
What is the Gers’ state of play regarding incoming transfers?
As well as the previously mentioned players, there are several other names who could arrive in Glasgow ahead of the Champions League tie.
Kwame Poku appears to be heading to Rangers on a free transfer when his Peterborough United contract expires at the end of June.
Elsewhere, Conor Coady and Lawrence Shankland have also been linked with a move to the Ibrox outfit.
While Thelwell and Martin have a month before they face Panathinaikos, they must press on with more signings to improve the squad at Ibrox.
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