Rangers came through a tumultuous summer transfer window with cause for positivity.
The Ibrox side saw 16 players leave the club whilst 11 have come in through the doors at Rangers, with the club’s wage bill reducing by as much as £10m per annum in the process.
Philippe Clement has hailed the Rangers recruitment team for their sterling work in the window despite the challenges of a limited transfer budget and behind the scenes maneuvering.
But after interim chairman John Gilligan pledged more transfer cash come January, could Rangers return for one long-term target who has been speaking openly about his future over the weekend?
Morgan Whittaker eyes ‘higher level’
Amid repeated links to Rangers, it’s easy to think that Morgan Whittaker might’ve had his head turned at current side Plymouth Argyle.
A £1m club record signing for the Championship club last summer following their promotion to the English second tier, Whittaker has also been subject to interest from Serie A giants Lazio.
But the winger insists that such speculation linking him with a move from Plymouth – and specifically to Rangers – doesn’t bother him.
That’s because Whittaker is very happy at Plymouth, even if he’s open to the idea of playing at a higher level.
“I have been in this situation before so I know how to handle it and I found ways it worked for me, and that’s just focusing on what I can do,” said Whittaker, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“I think the difference to when I was at Swansea is I knew I was going to play here.
“In my eyes it was a win-win because I love it here and I’m playing all the time, and if I got the chance to move it would be to the higher level I want to be getting to. I didn’t see it as a bad position to be in.”
With Rangers set to continue their extensive squad rebuild come January, we expect Morgan Whittaker to once again be at the forefront of the conversation.
If reports are to be believed, Rangers have tried and failed to sign the 23-year-old versatile attacking talent twice already in his burgeoning career.
Rangers set for transfer boost amid left-winger hunt
Whittaker was subject to a bid from Rangers in the January of 2022, the attacker having then returned to parent club Swansea City after a successful loan stint at Home Park.
This is something which was confirmed by then Rangers manager Michael Beale at the time.
But this summer reports had suggested Rangers were ready to resurrect their interest in Morgan Whittaker, with some even claiming the Gers had lodged a £7m bid.
With the Pilgrims holding out for closer to £10m, a deal never materialised, with the cost of Rangers’ Champions League failure potentially having a knock-on impact.
It certainly did in Rangers’ pursuit of Senegalese attacker Abdallah Sima.
Rangers also saw a last-minute loan deal for Southampton winger Sam Edozie collapse in the final moments of the window, something which has left the club short at left-wing.
Given John Gilligan suggested Clement would have cash to burn with the club’s financial footing ‘solid’, Whittaker’s latest transfer comments make for especially interesting reading.
We expect Rangers to strengthen this area come January and given there will be funds available, it’s a situation to keep one eye on this winter.
