It doesn’t take a recruitment specialist to notice that Rangers need to strengthen the heart of the defence after the draw scatter gun draw with Hibernian saw another body fall by the way side.
Dujon Sterling limped off at Easter Road, with Philippe Clement unsure about the nature of the utility man’s injury adding to a list that leaves just Robin Propper as a fit senior centre-half.
Leon King came off the bench but has spent most of the last two seasons playing as a defensive midfielder – it’s little wonder Rangers have been linked to Bamo Meite of Marseille.
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Rangers linked Bamo Meite improves red flag weakness
The sight of a Ligue 1 defender being named in the French media as a possible target might be seen as a good thing, however, there is one small problem for the manager should he get his man and strengthen his squad.
In a world of data led recruitment, Meite has a potential red flag.
During a loan spell at Lorient in 2022/23, the last season where Meite played enough minutes to be fully assessed, the 23-year old stopper had two key areas of weakness – heading and winning duels.
The two attributes that should be at the top of Rangers’ list of desired qualities.
Last season, at Marseille, game time wasn’t quite as frequent, but his numbers did improve to 67.6% for aerial duels and 61.6% for ground duels from a lowly 15.7% and 22.1%.
Ligue 1 has never exactly been known as a physical league though.
Are Rangers going to spend on a new centre-half?
When asked if Rangers were going to strengthen an obvious area of weakness in January, Clement said:
“That’s something that Patrick will address towards you guys. He wants to give that explanation what is the plan for January.”
“I think every manager feels that, and for sure in the situation we are,” Clement added when probed on whether or not he felt that his squad needed more depth.
“For the moment with injuries and everything, but there’s also the situation of the club. You need to pay it also, and I’m not the one who can pay that. I don’t have that money.”
When he was interim chairman, John Gilligan suggested that there would be money to spend in January, however, an ominous interview with Patrick Stewart might tell a different story.
