Analysing the Rangers Squad; 3 positions Michael Beale needs to strengthen.

We are more than half way into the January transfer window and Rangers are yet to make an acquisition, despite being nine points behind rivals Celtic and the Bhoys already strengthened their squad.

A lot of rumours surrounding the squad and who Michael Beale is looking to add, but those rumours are yet to be turned into signings and the infamous holding of the shirt, but who should Rangers sign and what positions are needed?

Goalkeeper

This is massive. Allan McGregor has been a rangers legend and has been unbelievable for the club but it’s time to go and arguably should’ve been the time to go last season. The decision to renew his deal has come back to bite Rangers as his performances have declined from last season and Jon McLaughlin has not been up to the standard required with some high level performances. Goalkeeper as the most important position on the pitch, if you want to compete for titles then you need a high-quality man between the sticks and Rangers just don’t have that. It is something that Beale needs to address now and if not now definitely in the summer with McGregor’s contract up in the summer and it being highly unlikely that he will sign a new deal.

It's not just the eye test, the stats back it up with McGregor having the second lowest save percentage in the league (55%) and even though he can have the odd outstanding performance (Liverpool away, Napoli home), he isn’t just the keeper he used to be and needs to be replaced before his legacy is diminished anymore. Even more recently he was partially at fault for Aberdeen’s goal in the Viaplay cup semi-final. A top level, quick, goalkeeper would have taken control of that situation and ran out to clear that through ball.

I would take a leaf out of Celtic’s book and have a look in the English premiership market and see who is available from clubs there. Dean Henderson is one man who’s future is up in the air, after a string of very good performances for Nottingham Forrest but the reds still in a relegation battle. If they were to go down then he would be too good to sit on the Old Trafford bench, I believe if Beale is serious about winning things, a top-level keeper is needed, and Henderson fits that bill.

Henderson will probably be out of Rangers’ price range so, a cheaper option however would be Mark Travors from Bournemouth, who kept the most clean sheets in the championship during the 2021/22 season and a keeper of top end championship level is a very good level for the Scottish premiership and something that is required.

Midfielder

The midfield for Rangers has needed strengthened for some time. James Sands has proven he isn’t at the required level and the other options in the midfield, Davis, Jack, Kamara and Lundstram. The Englishman has been a fan favourite in the double pivot for the Ibrox outfit under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and now under Michael Beale, branded the best on earth by the Ibrox faithful. But the rest of the options leave a lot to be desired.

Ryan Jack is very good when he plays but his body cannot be trusted, and he is also too similar to Lundstram in how he plays maybe it is good for European games and big games like Celtic or going to Tynecastle and Easter Road but you don’t need him for Ross County at home. Steven Davis is another one, much like McGregor a legend of the club, multiple league titles, two European finals but his body isn’t there anymore and being injured for the rest of the season, it is highly unlikely we will see the Northern Irish international pen a new deal at Ibrox. Glen Kamara is the most frustration one here, the Finnish international is obviously a top player but he hasn’t been himself this season. Everyone though under the Englishman we would see the best of Glen Kamara with his former teammate Andy Halliday stating how much of a fan the former QPR manager is of the Finn. But he still hasn’t really played and he hasn’t set the world alight when he has played.

Links to Todd Cantwell recently have excited rangers fans but he is a bit too far attacking for this position, the position of need is someone who would play next to John Lundstram in front of the back four and there is a massive lack of goals. Someone who can get between 7-10 goals from central midfield is needed and someone who could do that is Josh Brownhill from Burnley.

The Englishman has got five goals and six assists for highflying Burnley this season and has been a stalwart of Vincent Kompany’s team and with his contract up in the summer, a bid between five and ten million could see Burnley sell, given his contract is up in 18 months, whether it be now or in the summer, Brownhill is definitely someone who Ross Wilson and the transfer team should be looking at. Might be a lot of money but considering Rangers haven't spent over a million pound on a midfielder since Maurice Edu in 2009, it is very much needed.

Right Winger

Rangers haven’t had a consistent right winger since Daniel Candeias left in 2019 and that is a major issue. Many players have been tried and tested out on the right hand side but haven’t been up to scratch or haven’t had the minutes they’ve deserved. Scott Wright being one, he is a fin e squad player, but Rangers have a lot of fine squad players but to win the league the quality in the front line needs to be higher than ‘fine squad player’. The same goes for Fashion Sakala, whilst he has been one of the form players under Michael Beale, the two main attributes for a winger are dribbling and crossing, and for the Zambian, they aren’t two areas that he is strong enough in. The phrase ‘speedboat without a driver’ is often banded about when it comes to Sakala.

He does have some strengths though, his finishing and raw pace is difficult for defenders to handle so he can be an option off the bench for Beale but, much like Wright, you won’t win a league with Sakala starting week in week out and that’s the reality. Whilst Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence could very much do a job on the right-hand side, none are out and out wingers and talents would be wasted out wide when both are much better off the striker.

Morgan Whittaker from Swansea has been touted as a player of Rangers interest, with notable football journalist Fabrizio Romano stating the Ibrox clubs interest and as a cheap option it would be a good signing for Beale and an area of massive need.

A lot of Plymouth fans, who Whittaker was on loan at in the first half of this season, have talked so highly about the Englishman and they were very unhappy when the Swans recalled him from his loan spell. Nine goal and seven assists in league one this season for a 19-year-old is very good and already shows he has an eye for goal and some clips show he has a great eye for a pass. He can also play on the left as well so can play as a backup for Ryan Kent if needed.