Rangers' Transfer Window: Key Battles and New Signings
Rangers’ transfer window is crackling into life just as the new Premiership season arrives – and Derek McInnes is right at the centre of the storm.
Seven new signings are already through the door, a new manager is in the dugout, and Lawrence Shankland has been handed the captain’s armband in place of James Tavernier. Yet Ibrox still feels like a club mid-rebuild, not one easing into the campaign.
With Europa League qualifiers looming, the squad needs depth. The balance sheet needs trimmed. And the market around Rangers is moving at pace.
Here are the key battles being fought on and off the pitch.
Hjerto-Dahl race intensifies
Midfield has been a clear priority. Ross McCrorie and Cammy Devlin have arrived to stiffen the spine, but the name supporters keep circling back to is Jens Hjerto-Dahl.
Rangers had a £5.4m bid knocked back by Tromso earlier this month for the 20-year-old playmaker, who has been on their radar long term. Hjerto-Dahl has already admitted he is “tempted” by the prospect of Ibrox, yet he is not short of admirers.
Cardiff City have gone in heavy with an offer close to £8m. Hull City, freshly promoted to the Premier League, are also credited with interest, according to reports in Norway.
Tromso’s transfer chief Lars Petter Kræmer-Andressen insists there have been no fresh approaches and the youngster is currently focused on the second leg of their Conference League qualifier against Hradec Kralove. For now, Rangers remain in the fight – but the price, and the competition, are both rising.
Makhanya deal close as defence reshapes
At the back, McInnes is on the verge of landing his eighth signing of the window. South Africa international Olwethu Makhanya is expected to complete a move worth around £3.3m from Philadelphia Union.
The 22-year-old centre-back has been deeply unhappy in MLS, going AWOL after a proposed switch to Belgium was blocked. Rangers have stepped into that tension and are now closing on a deal, with McInnes confirming he could be registered in time for Friday night’s league opener at Dundee United.
Makhanya was part of the Bafana Bafana squad at the World Cup, even if he didn’t see a minute of action. At Ibrox, he is being brought in to play, not to watch.
His arrival, combined with the loan capture of England international Ben Godfrey from Atalanta, has immediate consequences elsewhere in the defensive pecking order.
Souttar squeezed by competition
John Souttar only signed a new deal earlier this year, apparently securing his future for the coming season. Football moves quickly.
Godfrey’s arrival has thrown the Scotland defender’s position into doubt, with clubs in England sensing an opportunity. Leicester City, Sheffield United and Swansea City are all in the frame for the 28-year-old.
Rangers are not under pressure to sell, but with fresh investment at centre-back and a need to move players out to fund further business, Souttar suddenly looks like a saleable asset. A decision is coming.
Antman exit to spark winger reshuffle
Out wide, the picture is just as fluid.
Oliver Antman arrived from Go Ahead Eagles and initially caught the eye, but his impact faded and he has slipped out of favour under McInnes. Now, the Finnish winger is heading for the exit.
Anderlecht are pushing hard for a deal worth upwards of £4m, with Derby County and FC Twente also in the mix. For Rangers, a sale would free up both cash and space in an area of the pitch where they are already light on natural options.
That shortage means any outgoing needs to be matched by smart, swift recruitment.
Markelo on the radar
One potential answer is Jahnoah Markelo.
The 23-year-old Coventry City winger is wanted on a season-long loan, with Rangers having tracked him since his days at FC Zurich. His performances in Switzerland earned him a £4.3m move to England a year ago, but he made just six appearances as Frank Lampard guided Coventry back to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.
For Rangers, Markelo represents a low-risk, high-upside option: a player with pedigree, frustrated by limited minutes, and available without a major fee. If Antman goes, expect this pursuit to accelerate.
McCausland weighs up options
On the opposite flank, Ross McCausland is edging towards the exit door.
The Northern Ireland international spent part of last season on loan at Aris in Cyprus and is keen on a return to football abroad. Interest is coming from across Europe and Major League Soccer, with clubs now testing both Rangers’ valuation and the player’s wage level.
League One sides in England have already enquired, but that route holds no appeal for McCausland. Luton Town asked the question too, only to admit they could not cover a fee or match his current salary.
Bigger clubs in the same division are circling, and McCausland has impressed McInnes since returning for pre-season. With just a year left on his contract, this is a classic fork in the road: cash in now, or risk losing him for far less down the line.
Cozier-Duberry still admired – at a price
Amario Cozier-Duberry remains a live name on the Rangers wishlist.
The Brighton winger, formerly of Arsenal’s academy, shone on loan at Bolton last season, playing a part in their promotion back to the Championship. That form has only strengthened Brighton’s belief in his long-term value.
Rangers like him. They have done for months. But a permanent deal could cost up to £5m, a hefty outlay for a club already juggling multiple targets and needing sales to balance the numbers. Unless something shifts – in Brighton’s stance or Rangers’ outgoing business – this one sits in the “ambitious” category.
Nobel Mendy and the one that got away
Some deals never happen, then come back to haunt a recruitment team.
Nobel Mendy was firmly on Rangers’ radar last year before he chose to leave Real Betis for Rayo Vallecano instead. Now Hull City, newly promoted to the Premier League, have reportedly lodged a bid in the region of £15.4m for the Senegal international full-back.
That sort of number underlines both why Rangers were interested, and why they could not compete once the market for him truly opened up. It is also a reminder of the financial gulf between Scottish football and England’s top flight.
Rangers step into the new season with a new manager, a new captain, and a squad still being stripped back and rebuilt at speed. Deals are close, others are slipping away, and some of the current dressing room know they may not be here when the window closes.
The question now is simple: can McInnes and the Ibrox hierarchy turn all this noise into a squad capable of delivering trophies – and doing it quickly enough to keep pace with the demands of a restless support?
