Rangers will have to plug hole worth 'several millions' very soon, double star exit already mooted

Rangers are reaping the small rewards of missing out on European football at Ibrox currently.

Derek McInnes couldn't have wished for a worse start in Govan, missing out on the Europa League and Conference League altogether.

Defeats to Jagiellonia and Jablonec were a real low, but Rangers have bounced back superbly since, with fewer fixtures and injuries.

Seven consecutive wins in all competitions has them two points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and in the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup.

Dumping out their rivals on the way to Hampden, they're the favourites to win that, with many expecting them to overhaul Celtic in the league, too.

Emmanuel Fernandez even admitted on Thursday that no Europe is helping the squad, who are feeling better physically already.

Jim Duffy, who started his playing career at Celtic, doesn't believe it's all sunshines and rainbows, though, and could still come back to haunt them.

How Europe could hit Ibrox hard again

Rangers haven't hid from the embarrassment of those two defeats on the continent earlier in the season.

Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard ahead of Thursday's European fixtures, Duffy shared his thoughts on the matter.

"The only thing about the European thing," he said.

"It can impact them further down the line, not being in Europe, it can benefit domestically.

"But, financially and reputation-wise, you want to be in Europe.

"I know it's not the same riches as the Champions League, of course, but it is still several million that you're missing out on.

"That's something that Rangers will have to address in other areas, by maybe selling one of those players."

Who could Rangers be forced to sell?

Duffy instantly picked out Olwethu Makhanya and Fernandez as two possible sales in the near future at Ibrox.

Makhanya has only been in Glasgow for a couple of months, and was somehow only signed for £3million from Philadelphia Union.

He's now a guaranteed starter and has even become a regular for South Africa in the extended international break.

Winning the September player of the month in the Scottish Premiership was just more gratification for this signing, too.

Makhanya has already had Premier League clubs watching him, with a price tag of £30million even thrown around.

That would be crazy money, and insane profit, something that would instantly fix that problem of no Europe.

But, the 49ers and Andrew Cavenagh are more ambitious than that, so don't expect them just to start selling players because of this.