If Rangers could turn back the clock, one suspects the Ibrox board would take a different approach to that bungled, post-Premiership title win succession plan.
Because rather than cash in on the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Borna Barisic and Filip Helander while their price-tags and their reputations had hit a peak – there is an argument that all four players could have brought in around £20 million at one point – Rangers instead kept their star man on the shelf for far longer than their sell-by date.
It is a damning indictment of Rangers’ squad planning, really, that Morelos, Kent, Barisic and Helander would eventually all leave on free transfers.
In fact, across the last few windows, arguably only Calvin Bassey departed the blue side of Glasgow for a fee befitting his talent and potential.
Given the financial restraints Rangers have had to contend with in the market of late, mega-money fees for the likes of Morelos and Kent certainly would have come in very handy as the 2021 champions struggle to make that transition from a brief period of glory into a bold new era.
But, as Celtic weigh up the pros and cons of keeping or selling star striker Kyogo Furuhashi, should Brendan Rodgers’ runaway leaders be reminded of the cautionary tale that is their Old Firm neighbours?
Celtic warned about repeating Rangers mistake amid Kyogo Furuhashi doubts
With his 30th birthday now only a week away, and Celtic valuing the free-scoring Japan international at around £20 million, is this the sort of deal which, while admittedly painful, simply has to be done for the pure financial benefits of it?
Kyogo may be ‘irreplaceable’, in the eyes of many Hoops fans. But £20 million would go some way to making the supposedly irreplaceable, well, replaceable.
“I think Celtic have kind of ran their business model quite well,” former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday says. “When players have got to a certain age, a certain profile or a certain fee, they have sold them.
“£20 million for a 30-year-old, you wouldn’t sell him? I think they are selling him all day. I agree, in terms of his ability, [Kyogo] would be a big miss.
“But £15 – £20 million for a 30-year-old striker…”
Paul Slane, the former Parkhead midfielder who now hosts the Open Goal podcast, feels that Celtic would be guilty of the same mistakes Rangers made if they were to turn down any mega-money offers.
Kyogo may be as reliable as ever in the final third. But, realistically, how many years does he have at this level? And how quickly will his output, not to mention his price-tag, fall over the coming seasons?
“That is where we have been critical of Rangers,” Slane adds. “In terms of players who have been at their top, they’ve not let them go at the right price.”
Patrick Stewart admits Rangers could make January signings
In terms of potential additions, Rangers are reportedly leading the chase for Dundee’s Lyall Cameron while the likes of Sasa Zdjelar, Marko Soldo and Iqraam Rayners have been linked.
CEO Patrick Stewart admits that Rangers could do some business in the January window, though he is not expecting a flurry of new faces to arrive through the Ibrox entrance between now and the February deadline.
“It wouldn’t be as many as three or four [signings], no,” Stewart says, while also confirming the Rangers board remain committed to the under-fire Philippe Clement. “We would be looking at one, possibly two.
“If you look at the squad, when you’ve got players that are fit and playing at their peak, then the team has shown it is good enough. Consistency is the reason [why we are so far off the top]. Consistency is the challenge.
“The players are clearly good enough. You don’t beat Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox, you don’t beat Nice 4-1 away from home, you don’t go toe-to-toe in a cup final and many would say the team should have won, you don’t draw against Spurs with players that aren’t good enough.”
