Rangers recruitment this summer seemed to certain around players that Michael Beale was already aware of and had previously identified to the scouting team.
There were others, like Jack Butland, who were obvious targets needed to replace the experience that had left the club in the summer.
The revelation of Alfredo Morelos’s Santos salary and that of one of his teammates suggests that Rangers, and Michael Beale, should cast the net further afield.
Rangers recruitment plan should see Michael Beale cast net
At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a set plan in terms of the type of player that Rangers are targeting.
Bosman deals will always be an attractive way to bulk out a squad, especially when there are so many departures, but there is an element of risk to this approach given how many clubs will all be competing for the same bargains.
South America remains an untapped resource for Rangers which, given the SFA’s more relaxed work permit regulations, is a strange decision by the club.
Players like Marcos Leonardo at Santos are on wages that backup players at Rangers are on.
For comparison, the 20-year old striker’s reported £8,500 per week is similar to Leon Balogun and John Souttar and he has 17 goals this season for the struggling Serie A outfit.
Players of certain nationalities are always more attractive for English and Spanish sides too.
Scottish football might not be everyone’s idea of a career plan but it does open up the door to bigger moves and, at Rangers, exposure in the Champions and Europa League.
We might not have the resources that teams down south and those in the top five leagues have, but our wage structure would allow players like Leonardo to increase their pay packet whilst putting themselves in the shop window.
It makes you wonder why Sebastian Rozental was the last time we ventured into this market.
His career at Ibrox might have been plagued by injury, but he was Chilean player of the year and tipped to outdo Ivan Zamarano and Marcelo Salas.
