NafisaRangers supporters have every reason to expect a busy summer at Ibrox as the club continues laying the foundations for what could be a defining campaign under Danny Rohl.
After falling short in the Scottish Premiership race and ending the season without major silverware, attention has quickly shifted toward recruitment.
The expectation around the club is that several additions will arrive before the new season gets underway, with the hierarchy determined to provide the manager with the tools needed to challenge on all fronts.
The early signs have already been encouraging. Rangers have wasted little time strengthening key areas and there is a growing belief among supporters that the current transfer strategy is being approached with far greater urgency than in previous years.
While attacking reinforcements have naturally attracted attention, midfield remains another department that could require fresh options, especially given the uncertainty surrounding several current members of the squad.
Rangers make first approach for midfielder
The Gers have already completed and welcomed the arrival of Lawrence Shankland in a major statement of intent, but that must only be the beginning.
Danny Rohl’s side showed plenty of promise this season but ultimately ended up finishing third and simply must return to winning trophies next term.
They’ve already weakened Hearts in pursuit of that objective and now face the challenge of assembling a squad capable of dethroning Celtic.
Several transfer targets have emerged as a result, including Luke Graham. The Dundee centre-back enjoyed an outstanding campaign and has established himself as one of the most exciting young defenders in the Scottish Premiership. It is hardly surprising that Rangers are monitoring his situation closely.
The same, meanwhile, can be said about a former Premier League player. According to Alan Nixon, as relayed by Inside Futbol, Rangers are in ongoing discussions to sign Dan Neil, who is set to become a free agent this summer.
The midfielder is reportedly open to the possibility of a switch to Ibrox ahead of next season and would represent an undeniable bargain for the 49ers. However, with Coventry City also pushing to secure his signature, there is no certainty that Rangers will turn negotiations into a completed deal.
Their interest dates back to the January transfer window when Ipswich Town moved ahead of them to secure a loan agreement. Now, months later, the Light Blues could finally land their long-term target.
Rangers should push hard for Dan Neil
Given that he is available on a free transfer, there appears to be very little risk attached to pursuing Neil this summer.
Whilst Rangers have previously been disappointed by arrivals from English football, the midfielder could ease concerns regarding Nicolas Raskin’s future and provide Rohl with a quality alternative in the middle of the park.
Former Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, despite gradually reducing Neil’s role in the team, was full of praise for his former captain at the beginning of his tenure.
He told reporters: “He’s very clever, very important to adjust the formation and balance the team.
“At the end, the individual output is maybe not as huge as expected but is very important for the team. Now that job is done he can add more things like more forward passes, tackling, counter pressing, and you can see how strong he is as an individual player.”
To secure the services of Shankland and then potentially add Neil without significantly impacting the transfer budget would represent excellent business from the 49ers at the start of what is shaping up to be a crucial summer window for Rangers.
Nafisa
