Transfer speculation is always ramped up as the window gets set to open and when Steven Gerrard said that we could see “one or two” new faces through the door at Ibrox, excitement levels are only going in one direction.
The biggest question in this window will be about where we need to strengthen, against Ross County we had a bench featuring no less than seven full internationals, with Brandon Barker and Nathan Patterson both capped at youth level.
As yet, there have been no rumours for defensive reinforcements despite the cloud hanging over George Edmundson, however, Niko Katic could soon be returning to training with the first team in the new year.
The forward line was significantly improved in the summer with the additions of Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe, securing Jermain Defoe’s services for another season as well as keeping Alfredo Morelos means that we now have a strength in depth not seen for years – any strikers being monitored just now will be seen as a long term option to replace El Bufalo, a list that Ross Wilson will know off by heart.
Midfield has seen more names linked than any other, Jesse Lingard, Daniel Johnson, John Lundstram to name but a few are all interesting options, coincidentally, all approaching the end of their contracts.
Utilising the pre-contract market could be how we operate in the short term, with saleable assets, being proactive to secure replacements with players who haven’t required a transfer fee will ensure that profit is maximised for the likes of Glen Kamara, who has been linked with Benfica in the last few days.
The recruitment team has kept their cards close to their chest since Wilson replaced Mark Allen and it could be another window where players are announced without so much as a rumour, adding quality from a position of strength is a marker we have not been able to lay down for quite some time.