Rangers recruited a trio of players last January in a bid to give them a boost at a time when they were very much in the Scottish Premiership title race.
Fabio Silva, who had moved to Wolves for £35million from Porto, travelled north on loan from Molineux amid reported interest from rivals Celtic while Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes were also both brought in on loan deals but the duo’s moves were made permanent in the summer.
In the end it wan’t enough to sustain their title challenge as Philippe Clement, having hauled Rangers into contention for a league trophy that had looked way beyond them before his arrival, ultimately ran out of steam.
Fast forward 12 months and the Light Blues have regressed to the point that they are already out of the title race. However, they still remain in two competitions with a Scottish Cup tie against Highland League outfit Fraserburgh on Sunday and then two Europa League games to come with Rangers almost certain to progress beyond the league phase.
New chief executive Patrick Stewart admitted he doesn’t expect major movement this month. But Clement will be hoping to bring in some much-needed quality after a summer of recruitment that has left him short.
So what areas are does he need to strengthen and how would a Gers XI look if – in a parallel universe – Clement could land the players he really needs right now?
He probably won’t have too many complaints between the sticks. Jack Butland has been out after he was hospitalised with internal bleeding before the Ne’erday Old Firm derby but Liam Kelly has proved a shrewd buy from Motherwell after deputising in that 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox and keeping his place while the former England keeper has remained sidelined so a goalkeeper isn’t a priority position.
The same, though, definitely can’t said of right back. For all of the criticism of James Tavernier in recent seasons, his record of being available for selection during a near-decade at Ibrox is remarkable. Until now. Like Butland, the captain was crocked before the Celtic clash and it has been a real problem area for Clement with Feyenoord loanee Neraysho Kasanwirjo returning to his club earlier in the season due to injury and even Leon Balogun, who can fill in it right back, having been unavailable which has forced Clement to field left back Ridvan Yilmaz in there.
Nathan Patterson left Rangers for Everton having been unable to dislodge Tavernier but times have changed in the three years since with Tavernier on the way out and the Scotland man has been linked with a return to Ibrox, where he came through the youth ranks, although a change of manager at Goodison Park with David Moyes returning could impact any chances of that.
Another priority position has to be the centre of defence. Leon Balogun was crocked in the Boxing Day clash at St Mirren with Dujon Sterling having to fill in. John Souttar is also out injured and has spent too much time on the treatment table during his career. And there have been huge question marks over Robin Propper since his arrival in the summer with the Dutchman appearing ill-equipped for Scottish football.
So Cement could probably do with an entirely new central defence. Record Sport revealed Jamaican international Richard King is on the Ibrox club’s radar but even if he was recruited, the 23-year-old would be unlikely to improve the side immediately. What this Rangers side desperately needs is experience and a new central defensive pairing of Manchester United veteran Jonny Evans and reported loan target Bamo Meite – who moved to Marseille from Lorient for £9m – could be a perfect pairing.
Gers have also been linked with Burnley’s Hjalmar Ekdal who could be another option. Yilmaz has impressed recently, albeit at right back, but unless either the ex Besiktas man or first choice Jefte move on then left back isn’t an area they Gers are likely to target.
Record Sport revealed Dundee’s Lyall Cameron is a man Rangers want but the midfielder would be unlikely to go straight into the team. Stand-in captain Nico Raskin has emerged as a key player in the engine room along with Mohamed Diomande and Clement is likely to build his team around the duo.
Vaclav Cerny has been one of the few shining lights in an otherwise dismal season for the Light Blues and it’s more of a back-up on the right that would be required – and someone who could add quality on the opposite flank. It might be ambitious, but Chelsea kid Carney Chukwuemeka has been touted although they face serious competition with Celtic also linked and more recently German giants Borussia Dortmund. Hamza Igamane has been the biggest success story of the summer transfer business and has linked well with Danilo behind the Moroccan.
Rangers revamped XI
