There’s a bit of wishful thinking that pops up every window: maybe Rangers can pick off a key player from a rival and weaken them at the same time. With Hearts, I just don’t think that’s the reality right now. Everything about their moves suggests they’re trying to push on, not strip the squad back.
They’ve got their own ambitions, and in Scotland that usually means two things: giving themselves a proper crack at the league positions and making sure they’re equipped for Europe when it comes round. Clubs with that mindset don’t usually start selling their main threats unless the fee is too big to ignore.
Hearts look like they’re adding, not cutting
The impression is they’ve been strengthening rather than standing still, and you can see why that would make them reluctant sellers. If you’re trying to build momentum, the last thing you do is take away the players that actually win you points.
The names mentioned as their key goal and assist threats are exactly the sort of players you keep a grip on when you’re serious about competing. If those are the guys driving their numbers, moving any of them on mid-stream would be self-sabotage. Even if Rangers came sniffing, Hearts aren’t daft. They know what losing that sort of output does to a season.
Right side upgrades can change how a team plays
What’s interesting is the focus on their right side. When a club adds there, it can shift their whole attacking balance. Suddenly you’ve got a team that can hurt you both ways, and it stops opponents just overloading one flank and getting away with it.
From a Rangers point of view, that matters because domestic games often come down to who wins the wide areas and who gets their full-backs and wingers moving in sync. If Hearts have improved that channel, it’s another reason they’ll want to keep their best forward options in place.
Chesnokov: the type that can be a nuisance in Scotland
There’s a real sense that Chesnokov could be one of those signings that settles quickly. The description is familiar: direct winger, happy taking on defenders, can score different types of goals, and plays without fear. That profile can cause problems up here, especially for full-backs who don’t like being run at repeatedly.
If he’s as consistent as suggested, then it’s not just about moments either. It’s about giving Hearts another outlet when matches get tight and scrappy, and we all know Scotland serves up plenty of those. Rangers will need to be switched on against that kind of threat, because one lapse in the wide channel and you’re in bother.
Maybe this is where Rangers News Views readers can chip in too: is Chesnokov the real deal, or one we’ll need to see in a few big away grounds before judging?
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