Rangers took their tally of summer signings in double figures on deadline day.
Nedim Bajrami arrives from Sassuolo on a deal in the region of £3.5 million – only two months after stunning Italy with his 23 second strike at the European Championships – while Feyenoord loanee Neraysho Kasanwirjo adds to the growing continent of Eredivisie exports at Ibrox.
But despite the sheer number of new arrivals, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has serious reservations about whether this Gers side are stronger than the one that ended the previous campaign.
Is Jefte an upgrade on an admittedly-declining Borna Barisic? Is Robin Propper an upgrade on Connor Goldson?
Was letting Todd Cantwell go for £500,000 and then bringing in Bajrami for £3 million more a good bit of business from either a sporting or a financial perspective?
Rangers sign Nedim Bajrami as Todd Cantwell and Scott Wright go
For now, those are a question no one can answer with any degree of certainty despite Jefte’s bright start, Propper’s vast experience, and Bajrami’s impressive pedigree.
But, ahead of the first Old Firm derby of 2024/25, Boyd cannot help but shake the feeling that Rangers have torn down and reconstructed their team without any improvements immediately visible.
Though, on the other side of the coin, how Celtic bounce back from the loss of their Player of the Year Matt O’Riley may also be a deciding factor in whether this season will see a genuine title fight or another green-and-white procession.
“Rangers are weaker (than before the window) but Celtic will also badly miss Matt O’Riley,” Boyd writes in the Scottish Sun. “The £30m man will definitely leave a big void.
“O’Riley was hailed as a victory for Celtic’s player-trading model and there have been some big wins in recent years. They are miles ahead of Rangers in terms of being able to recycle fringe players for decent money.”
Boyd highlights the fact that Celtic managed to bring in £8 million via the sales of Bosun Lawal to Stoke City, Oh Hyeon-Gyu to Genk and Mikey Johnston to Sheffield United, despite the fact that all three were nowhere near Brendan Rodgers’ first choice starting XI.
Rangers, in contrast made £800,000 by moving on Scott Wright and Todd Cantwell. Two players who, for the most part, were regular fixtures on the team sheet and leave for alarmingly minimal fees.
Kris Boyd can’t believe Rangers only got £800,000
“Celtic sold Bosun Lawal, Oh Hyeon-gyu and Mikey Johnston this summer for a combined £8m. Rangers, meanwhile, struggle to get £500,000 for Todd Cantwell. A guy who was a regular for the bulk of last season,” sighs Boyd, the five-time Scottish Premiership Golden Boot winner.
“There are too many players on inflated wages at Ibrox and it becomes so hard to get them out the door. That comes down to bad decision-making and there has been so much of that in the last few years.
“Rangers also sold Scott Wright to Birmingham for £300,000 yesterday, and that leaves James Tavernier as the only remaining member of the (2022) Europa League final starting XI.
“Despite losing to Eintracht Frankfurt, they should have left Seville as a club on the rise. But it’s been all downhill since then.”
Cantwel joined Blackburn Rovers on deadline day after falling out of favour. Wright, meanwhile, reunites with Ben Davies at Birmingham City.
