Rangers legend Barry Ferguson believes Mick Beale will look to bring in another defender after the Ibrox outfit conceded two more soft goals during the 2-2 pre-season draw with Hoffenheim over the weekend.
The word ‘avoidable’ comes to mind.
Mick Beale’s side were opened up with remarkable ease against their Bundesliga opponents; last summer’s £3.4 million signing Ridvan Yilmaz looking about as secure as a picket fence in front of the Pentagon and young Johnly Yfeko clearly not ready for the unforgiving world of senior football.
“The two goals we let in were really poor,” Beale told the Daily Record, Rangers’ lack of defensive depth exposed during the unavailability of Connor Goldson, Ben Davies and John Souttar.
“It’s amazing really. You come here with two defenders in Leon and Johnly and you end the game with no central defenders. Those are the scenarios that might happen in the season.”
Ferguson, speaking to Go Radio, wonders if Beale’s comments could pave the way for Rangers to bring in another, highly-versatile defender before next month’s transfer deadline. The Glasgow giants are, after all, a few injuries and a bout of illness away from a ramshackle, Frankensteinian backline.
Rangers still need another defender
“Some of the goals they have conceded in pre-season have been worrying. I saw Michael Beale’s interview, and he wasn’t happy with the two goals they lost in the first-half. They were poor, no doubt about that,” the former Ibrox captain argues.
“They need to clean up that quickly because they need to be defensively strong.
“I do think that’s an area where he’ll look to maybe strengthen. I know he’s done a hell of a lot in the forward areas, the amount of players he’s brought in. But I do think they may need another utility type guy in defence who can play in either full-back areas.”
Rangers are interested in Nottingham Forest’s £2.5 million man, Jonathan Panzo; a talented, elegant left-sided centre-half who could fulfil something of a Calvin Bassey role while giving Beale depth at the flank and in the centre.
Arsenal’s Auston Trusty was another target, but he is now closing in on a £5 million move to Sheffield United.
With Yilmaz yet to convince and Borna Barisic set to depart in 2024, Ferguson believes that any new defender arriving at Ibrox is likely to be a left-footer.
“Barisic is one who is going into the last year of his contract. And we can’t allow people to go into the final year of a contract and lose them for nothing. In terms of Yilmaz, he’s not the most physical,” Ferguson adds.
“He’s really good going forward but the goals that we’ve lost at the back post areas when cross balls have come in are a bit concerning.”
