Rangers manager Philippe Clement wanted to bring an experienced ‘number six’ to Glasgow before the transfer window closed.
In a summer of sweeping change at Ibrox, Rangers cut over £11m from their annual wage bill and had set about trying to rebuild a more youthful team with a brighter future.
But Belgian manager Clement had made no bones about the need for additional experience with a cool head in the middle of the park high up on the club’s shopping list.
Whilst the window closed without such an option in the team, Clement had hinted at potentially looking towards the free agent market.
But that won’t be by moving for one ex-Premier League midfielder who was spotted training with the Rangers squad at Auchenhowie earlier in the summer.
John Fleck agrees English League Two deal
Rangers fans will remember the emergence of John Fleck at Ibrox.
Back in the late 2000s, legendary Rangers manager Walter Smith handed Fleck his debut as a teenager and the highly-rated midfielder became a useful part of the club’s squad.
Branded the ‘Scottish Wayne Rooney’ as a youngster, Fleck would leave Rangers in the wake of 2012 and carved out a decent career for himself south of the border.
First turning out for Coventry City, John Fleck wound up at Sheffield United and played extensively for the Blades in yo-yo stints between the Premier League and Championship.
Spending the last six months of last season at Blackburn Rovers, Fleck spent time training with Rangers this summer as he looked to keep his fitness up whilst in the hunt for a new club.
With Rangers looking to add an experienced ‘number six’ type to their squad, many might’ve thought Fleck was under Philippe Clement’s watchful gaze.
But after the window has closed, the free-agent 33-year-old has actually wound up back south of the border, this time in English League Two.
That’s because Fleck has officially signed a season-long deal with Chesterfield ahead of the new season.
Rangers hunt for ‘experienced number six’
The jury remains out on the Rangers squad heading into the new campaign as Philippe Clement tries to galvanise a frustrated Ibrox support.
The middle of the pitch is one area which looks decidedly short, with youthful duo Mohamed Diomande and Connor Barron the club’s two main starters.
Rangers utility man Dujon Sterling has also routinely been employed in the position, whilst Nicolas Raskin is yet to harness the potential which saw Barcelona linked.
It’s one area of the park which is short of experienced options, with Rangers linked to a number of players in the position over the summer.
Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan is probably the most prominent, but there were also reports surrounding Norwich City’s Kenny McLean and Dutch free-agent Marco van Ginkel.
In the end Rangers will have to go with what they’ve got until at least January but it’s likely the position will be targeted by the club in the winter window.
