Rangers squad is starting to take shape for the new season, almost every department has been strengthened and we have yet to spend any real money, should we qualify for the Champions League then we really could be in for a fun few weeks before the window shuts.
In defence, it has been a case of one out, one in, with John Souttar replacing Leon Balogun, however, speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, reported via The Daily Record, Kenny Miller reckons that might not be enough:
“There’s been some good business in areas of the field Rangers needed to strengthen in, particularly with Joe Aribo leaving. I think now, for Rangers, an area of concern might just be centre-back.
“Is Helander going to be fit? Is John Souttar going to be fit? Who’s going to partner Connor Goldson at the back? I think there’s a few niggles.
“He (Helander) has (injury history) and so does John Souttar. Even with those three players fit you maybe just need one more as a little bit of cover. I’m not sure if there’s anybody in the B-team that could make that step. Leon King could maybe make that step up as a bit of cover.
“There’s been good business. Over the last week to 10 days there’s been some rumblings from the Rangers support about not signing players and inactivity in the market. Well, that’s been nailed now with resigning players to keep them in the build and with the three new faces. It gives that squad, and particularly the forward line, a bit of freshness.”
I’ve got a feeling that Giovanni van Bronckhorst might trust the guy that was, arguably, the best player on the pitch in a major European final – Calvin Bassey – seeing as he played most of the second half of last season at centre-half and also made the tournament’s team of year.
Borna Barisic has had his dips but he can still be trusted to do a job when he is needed even if Bassey’s strongest position is probably left-back, we also have James Sands and John Lundstram if we are desperate and King started the first pre-season game alongside Goldson – with a strong finish to 2021/22, there are no fears about throwing the teenager in at the deep end.
Before we can sign anyone, there will have to be departures because we have too many senior central defenders. Jack Simpson is miles out of the picture and Niko Katic, against Sunderland, showed that the simplest of passes can still cause him problems, if we can move them on then I’d expect one more arrival.
Miller has a point, but there are other areas where money should be spent first, after all, we have three international players who we can trust to play alongside Goldson – a lot of managers would kill for that sort of depth.