Rangers still have several problems that need to be fixed, either with or without Philippe Clement in the future.
The manager had a clear remit in the summer; to rip up the squad and replace ageing members with players of a younger and more dynamic profile with the hope that success can be brought back to Ibrox.
One of these issues is the lack of homegrown players, an inherited situation that Clement has to find a solution to for Rangers with one homegrown talent only weeks away from being available on a pre-contract agreement.
Rangers should intervene as Jack MacKenzie contract talks stall
The Gers boss has been unable to call on Danilo and Ian’s Hagi in the Europa League squad due to a homegrown shortage and Jack MacKenzie gave Clement and Nils Koppen a painful demonstration of what he is capable of in the recent defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
At 6ft 3inches tall, MacKenzie is a powerful defender, however, as shown by his involvement in his side’s two goals, he isn’t bad with his feet either.
Speaking recently, MacKenzie claimed that he is in no rush to put pen to paper and commit to more time in the north east, as reported by the BBC:
“To be honest there is not much to report at the moment because I have been trying my best just to focus on the football we have had a lot of massive games.
“I had the Scotland call-up as well so it has all been going on, but it is obviously something I will need to think about very shortly.
“I absolutely love it here, it is where I have been ever since I was a boy. It is where my family are, it is where I have grown up, I do love the club and I am really enjoying it here.”
Rangers can rub salt into Aberdeen’s wounds with MacKenzie swoop
As with Connor Barron, this is a no brainer for the Rangers recruitment team.
Ridden Yilmaz can’t stay consistently fit, and the signing of MacKenzie would allow the Light Blues to cut their losses on the Turkey international, but still make an overall profit in terms of rebuilding the squad.
It would also serve as a reminder of the natural order of things in Scottish football.
Regardless of how well Aberdeen are doing, Rangers have deeper pockets and a pedigree in Europe that they simply can’t match in modern times.
After losing Barron, this would be another blow. Despite some claiming that he wouldn’t get in their team now, Barron is now a regular in the senior Scotland team and has been one of the Scottish Premiership’s most consistent performers this season.
Unfortunately for Aberdeen, this won’t be reflected in their tribunal demands when it comes to the fee that Rangers will be due to them.
The derisory contract offer and how little they played him as his contract ticked down, on the other hand, will.
