Barry Ferguson reveals what has hampered Derek McInnes' transfer plans at Rangers
Barry Ferguson has provided insight into why Derek McInnes has struggled to get the required personnel at Rangers.
The Light Blues have signed eight players so far, including Lawrence Shankland, Cammy Devlin and most recently, Olwethu Makhanya.
It was painfully clear that they still need attacking reinforcements in the 1-1 draw with Dundee United.
Thelo Aasgaard saves McInnes' blushes in their Scottish Premiership opener, but it exposed a clear issue.
They need wingers, and they are acting with a £3.4million deal for Daisuke Yokota from Hannover 96.
Ideally, a player like that would already be through the Ibrox doors, but Ferguson has shared why that might not be the case.
What has Barry Ferguson identified as the issue for Rangers?
The former Gers legend and manager believes that the calibre of player that they are targeting is what has hampered the new boss.
He claimed that the Light Blues face intense competition for their targets and clubs not being willing to sell due to the quality that they want.
Speaking to the Daily Record on Tuesday, he said: "Unfortunately, you can’t just click your fingers and bring these guys in.
"If they’re as good as they have to be then there will be others at the same table, making offers to compete against.
"The selling club has to be prepared to let them go too, and more often than not, they will only do that when they have a replacement nailed down.”
Why Rangers may have to pay over the odds
The 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh may need to pay over the odds to secure what McInnes wants in the market, it is as simple as that.
If that is the difference between winning the title or coming nowhere near Hearts and Celtic, then it must be done.
The first few weeks of the campaign are critical, the Bears need as many points on the board as possible.
To achieve that, they need to add creativity in the coming weeks, the sooner the better, otherwise it could come back to haunt them.
Approaching a club with a high offer from the jump reduces the chances of missing out on targets, and increases the likelihood of them joining faster.
Having to switch to alternatives at this stage is a time-consuming issue and the Gers do not have much time for players to get settled in and adapt, with the games coming thick and fast domestically and in Europe.
The G51 side need instant success, and their chances of achieving that are better if they secure their first-choice, even if it means paying more than they would like.