Philippe Clement has been like Father Christmas to Rangers fans this year but as a striker crisis deepens perhaps the support might get a late January gift.
The Belgian manager has been a breath of fresh air at Ibrox, turning things around since Michael Beale’s ill-fated start to the campaign with the club already making history during his tenure.
After going to Spain and beating a Spanish club for the first time in Ibrox history, the victory over Real Betis also securing Last 16 Europa League football, the Gers lifted the League Cup for the first time in 13 years against Aberdeen.
Amid all of this the club has lost Brazilian striker Danilo to a long-term knee injury whilst Kemar Roofe’s brief return to the club was blighted once again by injury.
Philippe Clement has hinted that a new January striker addition is top of the club’s Christmas list and here we look at three options who might spread some late Rangers cheer.
Bluenose frontman Lawrence Shankland
No Rangers striker list could be complete this Christmas without the addition of Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland.
The Scotland international hitman has been at the top of plenty of Rangers fans’ wish lists after a storming two seasons at Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
Ex-Rangers stars such as Lee McCulloch and Scott Arfield have endorsed Shankland for a shot at Ibrox glory with plenty of murmurs surrounding the bluenose’s future.
Hearts and Steven Naismith have been clear that Rangers will need to cough up if they want the striker – amid talk of a £5m valuation – with a festive stunner v St Mirren only strengthening the Edinburgh club’s resolve.
Shankland, 28, would also boost the Ibrox club’s stuttering UEFA homegrown quota whilst the romanticism of a bluenose number 9 leading the frontline for Rangers is also not lost on us.
Fabio Silva linked to Ibrox transfer
A slightly more exotic option is that of £35m Wolves striker Fabio Silva, who was once tipped for the very top during his days at Porto as a teenager.
It has never quite happened for the Portuguese forward in the Premier League and after an initially bright start the intensity of the bright lights of English football have proven a touch challenging as of late.
Having spent last season on loan at first Anderlecht and then PSV Eindhoven, Fabio Silva is a player well known to incoming Director of Recruitment Nils Koppen.
Rangers have also been officially linked in the press by reports in Portugal and given the sounds down south are that the 21-year-old will be allowed to leave when the festive passes, this is certainly one to watch.
Wolves only need to look at the resurgence of Todd Cantwell and Abdallah Sima north of the border to understand Rangers can help these wayward talents re-find their form and love of the game.
Here’s our Fabio Silva profile.
Bojan Radulovic another Rangers striker option
Bojan Radulovic might be the lesser known striker of the three but the Serbian hitman certainly represents an interesting transfer option for Rangers.
Currently spending the Christmas period in Finland with HJK Helsinki, Rangers fans might be asking the big man to bring the next Alfredo Morelos gift-wrapped from Lapland.
Whilst it’s clear an Ibrox return for the Colombian free-agent is a non-starter, there may well be some Rangers attentions on Bojan Radulovic as his stock rises across Europe.
Still only 23-years-old, the striker spent time at Brighton after initially breaking through at Catalan club Lleida before spells in the Spanish lower leagues and in Sweden with AIK.
Finding a home in Finland, the hitman has been on explosive form for HJK this season, scoring 21 goals in all competitions as the Helsinki club romped to the Veikkausliiga title.
Whilst the goals have come in one of Europe’s lesser leagues, Radulovic’s age, potential and would-be transfer fee works in his favour here.
