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Daily Record
Sport
Jonathan McFarlane

Rangers and the 'next level' transfer necessities needed from a Ryan Kent clone to a midfield dominator

It's hard to criticise a side who are unbeaten in the league with four games to go but you get the distinct impression Rangers' fiercest assessments may come from inside their own management team.

Never one to fall back on past glories, Steven Gerrard has already made it clear he's looking to the challenges ahead, starting with the Scottish Cup.

After that, the focus will return to remaining in front of what should be a much stronger Celtic next term and taking a leap forward in Europe by qualifying for the Champions League.

Michael Beale summed up the club's approach when he emphasised those in power at Ibrox see a 55th championship as merely the start of what they hope will be a trophy dynasty.

He told Rangers TV : "We are evolving and adapting. The good news for us is that the Rangers you see today is only just the start. Winning the league was just the start. It wasn't the end point it was just the start of us going on a dominant run.

"That's what the staff are committed at and thats what we are challenging and provoking the players to push on to.

"And thats what we will be looking at when we go to add to the squad in the summer which I'm sure we will to take us to the next level. To reiterate, it's just the start."

While the team is clearly in good shape, no side is ever the finished article and Rangers have some key areas to improve if the squad is to reach its lofty goals.

Record Sport looks at the improvements can be made in the summer transfer window.

Goalkeeper

With Allan McGregor tied up for another year and the dependable Jon McLaughlin fixed as back up there isn't a lot of work to do here. In the longer term, you'd have to imagine that McGregor will only play for another year or two given his advanced years so the Ibrox club will need to think about their long-term strategy for the position. Robbie McCrorie has been out on loan at Livingston where he's been challenged hard for a first team slot over a tough season. If the 23-year-old is to be McGregor's successor he will need more game time at the top level to hone his skills and another loan to West Lothian or elsewhere would seem necessary.

Defence

Connor Goldson is a player Hamilton looks up to (Alan Harvey/SNS Group)

Much will depend on the future of defensive colossus Connor Goldson. He's played every minute of every game this season so it's now hard to imagine a Rangers side without his leadership and rock solid presence in their spine. If the 28-year-old is to depart for another challenge he will be nigh on impossible to replace like for like. That said, there would still be five options on the Ibrox books with new signing Jack Simpson ready to make an impact after a settling-in period, Niko Katic back from serious injury and George Edmundson returning from his Derby loan stint. All three have the potential to be top players but if Rangers are to fulfil their desire to improve, serious money will have to be splashed out on a top quality replacement. Of course, if Goldson decides to remain, you can't imagine much movement in a defence that has performed like a well-oiled machine this term.

At full-back, the club looks to have excellent options and only the sale of Borna Barisic would encourage delving into the market. Stewart Robertson was open at the AGM over the club's player trading strategy and that one or two stars will be moved on. With Barisic in place as Croatia's number one in his position, there could be significant interest on the back of a successful Euro 2020. Otherwise, with James Tavernier tied to a long-term deal and youngsters Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey looking like excellent back-ups, this is a strong department.

Midfield

(SNS Group)

While arguably the fulcrum of their title win, there's obvious points of weakness in central midfield. Ryan Jack is a superb player but has missed too many games through injury while Steven Davis can't keep up his Dorian Grey routine forever at 36. Bongani Zungu was brought in from Amiens and has shown flashes of technical quality but hasn't put up a strong fight for a starting place and his involvement in the Covid Five seems to have ended his hopes of a longer stay. While Gerrard clearly looks for players who can handle the ball given the technical style that his side employs, he's been looking for a physically dominant box-to-box player since the failed loan of Mali international Lassana Coulibaly in his first season. One of the elements that stood out from the Slavia Prague defeat at Ibrox was the bracing physicality of the Czech side who Gerrard noted had a German like strength to their play. While the likes of Glen Kamara, Jack and Joe Aribo are no slouches on the muscle front, a midfield dominator who can add steel to the middle would give the Ibrox men a further dimension to their play in certain matches.

Wingers

(Getty Images)

Ryan Kent has been the creative star of this season but the team don't carry the same threat on the right. Ianis Hagi has been very productive and will get better with time but a player who offers similar ball-carrying skill and pace to the former Liverpool flyer would ensure Rangers have a deadly threat. Brandon Barker offers that profile but his transfer hasn't worked while Jordan Jones hasn't done enough to convince his manager he's Rangers material. Scott Wright has looked much more promising since arriving from Aberdeen in January and has many of the tools in his locker that make Kent so outstanding. But with players sure to depart in the summer, a signing in this area seems an obvious target.

Striker

Morelos celebrates after his goal yesterday (Getty Images)

It's probably unwise to talk as if Alfredo Morelos is on the way out of Ibrox given few expected him to be here at this stage. The Colombian's mix of steel, big match mentality and finishing prowess makes him an obvious target for clubs in the top five leagues. While contracted for some time yet, it seems likely that Rangers will let their talisman leave if the right offer comes in. £16.5m was rejected from Lille previously and you'd imagine this season's exploits, where he's improved his link-up play considerably and adapted to a new role, won't have diminished expectations. Even if Morelos doesn't leave, question marks about Jermain Defoe's likelihood of continuing to play mean another signing in forward areas is probably going to be needed. Rangers already have a targetman in Cedric Itten and a deep-lying forward in Kemar Roofe so you'd imagine another pacey goalscorer will be high on their list. Those type of players don't come cheap nor easy and improving on Morelos would surely be amongst Ross Wilson's most difficult tasks since becoming sporting director. At least he won't be caught cold in his preparations having planned for the players departure for some time.

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