Rangers have been drifting almost aimlessly since winning the Scottish Premiership title in 2020/21.
Three times the manager has changed with Philippe Clement, seemingly, no closer to closing the gap at the top of the table.
A reset was needed from top to bottom, as much through necessity than design, with Nils Koppen explaining at the AGM what type of player Rangers need to target.
Nils Koppen details Rangers transfer profile needed
The desire to lower the wage bill and average age of the squad was clear from the outset, even if selling five senior players for just £800,000 is extreme to say the least.
Gers technical director is keen to make sure the mistakes that he inherited this summer aren’t repeated:
“We have to have a young and dynamic team with a good balance to compete at all the levels required in European and domestic leagues,” said Koppen.
“There’s a big demand to dominate in the league, to progress in Europe, and to really compete in Europe. It’s really what we try to achieve by getting this squad in the best possible balance.
“We need players that are technical, good athletes, players who are cost-reliable because we’re in a unique environment, we play a lot of games, so we have to be ready for that.
“It’s a very unique setting that we cannot find in the rest of Europe. In addition to the young players, we also need leadership experience to guide these players on and off the pitch, to give them the best opportunity to develop and create an ideal team to also be able to win in all circumstances.”
The aspect of player trading Rangers need to get right
If anything, the young players that have been signed by Rangers look like being the ones that can be trusted.
Jefte is the perfect example in that he is making a solid contribution now, has great athleticism and has the potential to improve too.
Another, and the man of the moment, is Hamza Igamane, who now has a goal contribution every 95 minutes.
The Moroccan is far from the finished article but has shown enough already to suggest that he will make Rangers considerably more than the £1.7m paid for his services.
What Koppen needs to get right, is the experienced players he brings in.
Vaclav Cerny should be the benchmark. It hasn’t always been easy for the Czechia international; however, he showed the mental strength needed to be a key player for Clement.
With nine goals and five assists in 22 appearances, he has been reliable and carried the attack on his own at times.
The problem, is when players like Robin Propper are brought in to add leadership and stability, and they can’t hold down a starting place.
Experience usually means bigger wages, and having them sitting on the bench is a waste of money.
Money that Rangers can’t afford.
