NafisaRangers’ ambitious summer rebuild under Derek McInnes continues to gather pace, with the Ibrox club wasting little time strengthening key areas of the squad ahead of the new campaign.
The arrivals of Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin have already generated huge excitement among supporters, and the Light Blues remain active in the market as they look to assemble a squad capable of reclaiming domestic honours.
McInnes has made it clear he wants leaders and winners throughout his dressing room, and Rangers have responded by targeting players with experience of performing under pressure. One of the latest additions perfectly fits that profile after captaining Sunderland and helping Ipswich Town earn promotion to the Premier League last season.
The midfielder has now opened up on why he chose Rangers over opportunities elsewhere, while transfer speculation continues to grow over another potential arrival from Hearts.
Dan Neil explains why Rangers was the perfect choice
Dan Neil completed a three-year move to Rangers earlier this month after becoming a free agent following the expiration of his Sunderland contract.
The 24-year-old had attracted interest from clubs in England but ultimately decided that Ibrox represented the ideal next step in his career.
Speaking to the Glasgow Times, Neil admitted the size of Rangers and the challenge of playing for the club made his decision straightforward.
“I think that word ‘challenge’ is probably the biggest word in my decision-making. I think the last two years have been very successful in the Championship in England, and I wanted a new challenge, a new chapter almost, and a new goal to strive for.
“When Rangers came calling, I thought, ‘This is the perfect challenge for me,’ and that was pretty much it in terms of my decision-making. I’ve played in front of big crowds every week and had that expectation of winning. It’s a massive driving factor for me day in, day out, so all those little factors tallied up to my decision.
“It’s something that drives me day in, day out, doing things right and preparing as well as I can for upcoming games, knowing that the fans are desperate to win and there’s almost that expectation to win every single week. It’s a massive factor in the way I work every day and the character I am, and I’d say it was a massive factor when I was choosing Rangers.”
Neil had come close to joining Rangers during the January transfer window before a loan move proved impossible due to Sunderland’s overseas loan situation.
Instead, he joined Ipswich Town for the remainder of the season, helping the Tractor Boys secure promotion to the Premier League before Rangers reignited their interest this summer.
His leadership qualities have already impressed Derek McInnes, with Neil wearing the captain’s armband during Rangers’ behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly against Kaizer Chiefs in Spain.
The midfielder now joins fellow summer arrivals Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin as McInnes continues building a squad around experienced leaders capable of handling the pressure that comes with representing Rangers.
Braga remains an ambitious Rangers target
Despite already strengthening several positions, Rangers are still searching for additional attacking firepower before the transfer window closes.
Hearts striker Claudio Braga remains one of the forwards admired by the Ibrox recruitment team following an outstanding first season in Scottish football.
The Portuguese forward scored 17 goals in all competitions after joining Hearts from Norwegian side Aalesund for just £400,000 last summer, dramatically increasing his value in the process.
However, completing a deal will not be straightforward.
Reports suggest Hearts value Braga at around £9 million, while the 26-year-old is also believed to be hoping for interest from the Premier League or another major European league.
Those factors mean Rangers face a significant challenge if they decide to pursue the striker seriously before the end of the transfer window.
Nevertheless, McInnes continues working to strengthen his squad, with Rangers determined to add further quality as they prepare for the new season.
The arrivals of Neil, Devlin and Shankland have already underlined the club’s ambitions, and if Rangers can continue adding players of similar calibre, supporters will have every reason to believe the Light Blues are building a squad capable of mounting a serious title challenge.
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