Rangers told to sign new ‘no-nonsense’ defender as Max Aarons trust broken at Ibrox
Rangers could look at replacing Max Aarons before Monday’s winter transfer market deadline.
The Bears have already welcomed three new signings, and Danny Rohl could yet bring Cameron Archer to Ibrox from Southampton in a search for another striker.
Andrew Cavenagh has splashed a respectable amount of money, as Gers now have a chance of catching Hearts in the race for the Scottish Premiership title.
But Rangers’ 3-1 Europa League defeat to Porto on Thursday could have provided Rohl with crucial insight heading into the final few days of the window.
The German head coach may now have a decision to make for his right-back position after what was seen from Aarons versus Porto.
Gary Keown suggests Max Aarons needs replacing as James Tavernier poor
Rangers signed Aarons on a season-long loan from Bournemouth in the summer, and the right-back has had an unfair battle with James Tavernier for a spot.
However, Rohl decided to play a wing-back formation against Porto, where Aarons featured on the right, but the 26-year-old didn’t have his best game.
Aarons’ stats versus Porto:
- Minutes played: 90
- Accurate crosses: 0/5
- Ground duels won: 0/3
- Pass accuracy: 87%
But neither did Tavernier, who was at the heart of the Bears’ defence, which let in three goals to chuck away their early lead.
In the Scottish Mail’s print edition on Sunday, Gary Keown highlighted what’s already been seen at Ibrox with Aarons, while he was mounting concerns over Tavernier.
Keown wrote: “Didn’t the nature of the goals conceded in the midweek 3-1 loss to Porto reconfirm that the rearguard still needs a bit of work as well, though?
“Tavernier is now making a habit of being caught out on the really big occasions, but Aarons has already shown he cannot be trusted at right-back.”
Keown then called for the Bears to go after what he described as a “big, no-nonsense centre-half” in the remaining time left of the window.
Could Rangers have the wrong transfer focus?
Rangers are desperate to land a new forward in the dying embers of the transfer market, and have spent basically all their time looking at the likes of Archer, Ryan Naderi and Joel Piroe.
The Bears have made multiple bids for Naderi, with his club Hansa Rostock yet to soften their stance of the German.
Rangers are just a couple of points off Hearts heading into their own Sunday clash against Hibernian, but one blip against Porto doesn’t change the evidence that’s been on display.
| Games | 8 |
| Goals conceded | 2 |
| Clean sheets | 6 |
The Bears have shown great solidarity across their backline, and were simply undone by a better team in Porto.
Add to the fact that Derek Corneilus will soon return from injury, Rohl is already stacked in a defence that is performing as a whole.
Stay up to date this winter with our Rangers transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Ibrox, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.