With the transfer window closing on Monday, Rangers are facing a race against time if they plan to get any more business done.
That the Glasgow giants appear to be in no particular rush, however, will come as a disappointment to those praying for at least one more new face to join LOSC Lille loanee Rafael Fernandes before the clock strikes 11pm on February 3rd.
Rangers welcomed back John Souttar against Union Saint Gilloise on Thursday night. A player labelled the club’s ‘best defender’ by manager Philippe Clement making his first appearance in six weeks off the bench.
Yet, with the concussed Leon King joining Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun in the treatment room – Rangers also lost Feyenoord loanee Neraysho Kasanwirjo – Derek Ferguson has not given up hope of a defensive reinforcement during the business end of a rather uneventful window.
Clement was forced to utilise James Tavernier as a centre-half and Ross McCausland as a makeshift right-back during that 2-1 win over last season’s Belgian runners up.
Clinton Nsiala was also absent, though Rangers will now have the chance to register him for the knockout stages after securing a top-eight finish at the expense of Bodo/Glimt.
- READ MORE: Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present
Derek Ferguson wants Rangers to sign another defender
Fernandes’ arrival does add some depth to Clement’s roster. But with the former Portugal Under-21 international only joining on a short-term deal initially, Ferguson would welcome a more permanent solution.
“Rangers [need a] defender, a centre-back,” says Ferguson, a two-time Scottish Premiership champion in the 1980s. “They’re going to have a look at [Fernandes] over a period of six months.
“We are a bit short at the back for me.”
The potential departure of their first-choice left-back – Chelsea reportedly want to raid Rangers for Jefte as Philippe Clement urges the Brazilian to stay at Ibrox – adds another layer of uncertainty.
Ferguson is also yet to be convinced by Robin Propper. While the former FC Twente captain has excelled in Europe, he has struggled at times to cope with the more physical aspects of the Scottish game, particularly in set-piece situations.
Ferguson not convinced by Robin Propper at Ibrox
“There’s talk about Jefte going to Chelsea in the summer. Propper, for me, the physicality,” Ferguson adds. “He doesn’t enjoy the physicality. Nice football player if you’re playing a certain type of football [but] you need that [physicality]
“The boy Nsiala has come in, he’s been a breath of fresh air. But they need to address it.”
Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart played down the prospect of considerable changes to the Rangers squad earlier in January. The fact that only one player has arrived by the final day of the month shows that the chief executive was serious when he said that the Gers would instead look to welcome back their injured players rather than look for a solution in the market.
Clement once again met any questions over a potential late swoop with a straight bat after Nico Raskin and Vaclav Cerny fired Rangers past Union Saint Gilloise at a jubilant Ibrox.
“You don’t need to ask this question to me,” the Belgian said. “That is not about me. We talked about that a few weeks ago before the transfer market. My job is to work with the players who are here.
“So, we will see the next couple of days what’s possible for the club.”
