Whoever comes in the door as the next Rangers manager is tasked with working with a squad of nine summer signings who as of yet have failed to win over the Ibrox support.
Michael Beale has lived and died by his recruitment at Rangers, the outgoing manager given leeway in the second half of last season because of an impending rebuild.
Conversely, with Ross Wilson out the door, the spotlight of recruitment shone brightly in the face of the former Rangers boss whose new signings have sorely let him down.
Out of the nine players Rangers have signed this summer only two of them can genuinely attest to being a success.
Only two of Rangers’ nine summer signings have been a success
Jack Butland has completely bought into the life of a Rangers player and has, far and away, not only been one of Michael Beale’s best signings but also the club’s in the last few years.
A former England international who at 30 is young for a goalkeeper and who is tied down to Rangers on a four-year contract.
If the Premier League comes calling Rangers are well primed to bank a fortune and if it doesn’t, the club has secured a quality number one for four seasons who has made the transition from Allan McGregor seamless.
And on a free transfer too.
The only other signing of the nine is Brighton loanee Abdallah Sima who, whilst rough around the edges, has now scored eight goals and looks like a potentially quality addition.
Whilst Rangers might only have the attacker for one season, there’s a reason why Brighton paid £7m to sign him and the Ibrox side know they’ve got a solid player in the attacker.
However, the fact that a loan player is the only of Rangers’ summer signings who has made the desired impact to date is a smite on the footballers Michael Beale signed permanently.
Rangers fans know what Leon Balogun can do but he’s barely kicked a ball. Dujon Sterling can’t dislodge James Tavernier. Kieran Dowell is one of eight players currently injured.
Jose Cifuentes has been caught in a whirlwind since arriving. Danilo has a fractured cheekbone. Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers are the two players most in the spotlight.
Whoever takes over at Rangers – with Philippe Clement and Kevin Muscat the clear frontrunners – they will need improve these seven players with the January window, and next summer, a long way away.
