When you look at some of the names constantly linked with Rangers, you start to see patterns. Certain profiles we simply cannot afford, others carry too much risk, and a few feel like the kind of smart work we should be all over.

Up front: no room for more gambles

Jonas Wind is the perfect example of a player who looks good on paper but does not quite fit where we are. We badly need a proven goalscorer, somebody you can hang a season on, not another technical forward who might or might not adapt. On top of that, his wage level would almost certainly be at the top end, and we have been burned too often paying premium money for players who are not guaranteed to carry the goal burden.

It is the same logic with someone like Rafiu Durosinmi. There might be a player there, but the timing matters. Bringing him in at the wrong point could see us spending big without solving the immediate issue. The safer shout is being clear what we need in January, then going and getting the right profile rather than hoping a project turns into a 20-goal man.

Injuries, attitude and the red-flag brigade

Dennis Cirkin is a hard pass simply because of the injury record. Hamstring problems at that age are a worry, and we have already seen what happens when you stock the squad with players who cannot put a run of games together. For a club that plays twice a week for most of the season, you cannot build a back line on ifs and maybes.

There is also the wider point with someone like Dan Neil. We have watched plenty of players arrive from the Premier League or the English Championship and flatter to deceive. If a lad is not standing out at Sunderland, it is fair to question whether he is really going to come up here and dominate midfields at Ibrox under the pressure that comes with our jersey.

Malang Sarr falls into that bracket of big wage, unsure output. The talent might be there, but if you are committing a serious chunk of the wage bill, he needs to be a clear upgrade, not a reclamation project. That is before you even get into the situation with Liel Abada, which does not need explained to any Rangers supporter. Some moves are just not worth the baggage.

Smarter options at the back and in midfield

On the positive side, Arouna Sangante feels like the kind of deal that makes sense. Younger, still with growth in him, and more likely to hold resale value if he kicks on. That is the sort of profile we should be targeting instead of short-term stopgaps.

Felix Beijmo as a back-up option also sounds reasonable. Squads win titles and you need reliable depth in the full-back areas, not just one standout and a massive drop-off. A steady option who knows his job can be worth more over a season than a flashy name who only turns up now and then.

Denys Popov on a Bosman is another one where the risk is at least controlled. If the wages are realistic, taking a free transfer with some upside is not the worst idea, especially when we always seem one or two defenders away from feeling properly secure.

Further forward, Yari Verschaeren is the sort of punt that gets people talking. Technically gifted, good age, and you can see why fans would be curious. The concern, though, is simple: we need goals from midfield, not just another nice passer who drifts about between the lines without end product. Anyone coming into that area has to offer numbers, not just tidy touches.

As for Mees Hilgers, the comparison to Propper says it all. We have seen that movie before: a player who looks fine elsewhere but never really convinces in our set-up. At some point, we have to learn from those mistakes and stop repeating them.

When you strip it back, the message is clear enough. Cut out the injury risks, avoid paying top money for maybes, and focus on hungry players who can handle the jersey and actually improve the starting eleven. That is the level Rangers need to work at now.

Written by bigbluejim: 9 December 2025

Tags: transfers injury squad