RANGERS headed into the January transfer window hoping to catch up to Celtic in second place, never mind keep up with Hearts at the top.
Now they could feasibly exit the month leading the Premiership – and a renewed Scottish core could be part of that.
The Ibrox side have been linked with multiple Scots in the window so far including Motherwell standout Elliot Watt and ex-Hearts star James Penrice.
Hibs ace Josh Mulligan has also attracted plenty of interest and his teammate Kieron Bowie could also appeal to Danny Rohl.
But following a delightful double against Celtic in the Old Firm derby, could Rangers be tempted to stick with Youssef Chermiti rather than twist and fork out for a new number nine?
SunSport’s Ryan Rowe and David Friel sat down to dissect the current state of play for Rohl and new recruitment chief Stig Inge Bjornabye both in terms of who could arrive and who could leave.
In particular, will young Scots like Lyall Cameron and Findlay Curtis remain part of the squad for the second half of the season or will they head out on loan?
We also have an update on Josh Windass and the Light Blues’ search for a new number six, with Pierre Ekwah and Emil Bohinen mentioned in the rumour mill recently.
Is Chermiti the main man going forward now – or do Rangers still need a new number nine?
David Friel: “100 percent they do.
“Danny Rohl said last week that Rangers need to be brave in this transfer window.
“He’s managed to get Rangers into a position where they are genuine title contenders with 18 games to go.
“Hearts have obviously got a six-point advantage but they’ve all still to play each other at least twice.
“There’s all that going on and I think for Rangers – and Celtic for that matter – and Hearts, if you have firepower then you’ve got a better chance of winning this league.
“It sounds common sense but in the past clubs have felt they’ve got enough and they haven’t strengthened.
“I think back to Rangers probably last January where they could have had Lawrence Shankland for cheap.
“They never signed him, they should have. I don’t think they can make the same mistake again.
“I think they have to go and get some more firepower, get some more options at the top end of the pitch.
“Yousuf Choumiti was excellent in the second half against Celtic, he’s clearly a player with potential ability but he’s got four goals this season.
“Bojan Miovski I think has got five and James Tavenier is still Rangers’ top goal scorer with seven goals. Rangers need more goals at the top end of the pitch.
“I don’t think one game from Yousuf Chermiti changes that at all and Danny Rohl for me has to prioritise a striker.”
Josh Windass update
DF: “I think he would be a starter. I don’t really get the kind of reaction from a section of the Rangers fans. It seemed to be quite negative. I think he’s a good player.
“I think he’s shown he’s a better player than he was when he left Rangers.
“He’s an effective player. I think he’s someone who would add firepower as I’m talking about.
“He doesn’t play as a kind of out and out number nine so I suppose it’s whether it’s possible to get him out in this window, he’s obviously got a previous relationship with Danny Rohl from their Sheffield Wednesday days.
“He’s a guy who knows Rangers, who knows Scottish football. To me it would be a sensible signing.
“It’s whether you can get him out on loan. I think he’s probably on a really, really good wage down there.
“Wrexham have got their own ambitions this season. He’s a guy who again has played a lot of games in the first half of the season.
“I think it would appear that Josh Windass wants to come back. I’m just not sure whether everything’s going to come together.
“The stars are going to have to align for that to happen this month.”
Great Scots
Kieron Bowie
DF: “I could see him being tempted. He’s a guy who seems destined for bigger things. He started the season so, so well. He probably drifted off a little bit.
“I think it’s fair to say he faded away a little bit. He’s back scoring again. He has all the attributes. I still personally think he could do with more time at Hibs.
“I know there’s always that clamour as soon as a player can burst on the scene. Get my move, get my move, get my move.
“I think he could actually do with just staying there. He’s a player Rangers would be looking for.
“He’s Scottish. He’s very talented. He’s probably affordable to an extent. Hibs will want a decent fee from him.
“Again, I don’t see that happening in this window. But there will be players out there that Rangers can pick up.
“Whether there’s a striker in Scotland that they would really, really go and push a boat out right now, I’m not so sure.”
Elliot Watt
DF: “Rangers are keen on him, they’re keeping tabs on him, but they won’t be the only ones.
“He’s been a star of an outstanding Motherwell team, he has been a real fulcrum for them. He runs the show almost in midfield with great help from those around him.
“He’s a guy who won a lot of Scotland youth caps. He’s probably one who at a very young age was destined to be a real star, played in Scotland youth teams with Billy Gilmour and guys like that.
“Again, his career probably didn’t hit the heights early that maybe was expected.
“He was obviously at St Johnstone last year. He had been at Salford and teams like that as well.
“I think he’s found a manager who can get the best out of him and he’s got himself a lot fitter than he was at St Johnstone. He makes the game look so simple.
“I was at the Motherwell-Celtic game when he scored, I spoke to him after that. I was at the Motherwell game again on Saturday against St Mirren, he scored again.
“I wouldn’t really class him as a goal scoring midfielder, but he can get forward, but he’s just so good on the ball.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Rangers and a lot of other clubs are looking at Elliot Watt and thinking he is a guy who could really, really blossom as time goes on.
“He’s only 25, there’s still a lot more development to come in him and he’s really, really hit a purple patch of form.
“Motherwell won’t keep hold of him, I think, beyond the end of this season. He’s playing far too well for that.
“Whether Rangers could get something done in January, I don’t know.
“I think it’s maybe just a wait and see for that one.
“He’s certainly a guy that would boost the Rangers squad, bring a real composure.
“It’s almost effortless the way you watch him, just play passes around the corner and everything.
“Maybe you would look at the physical side of things in terms of he’s probably not the quickest, but I think he more than makes up for that with his positional play. A really, really good player.
“I think Rangers, any club in Scotland, any of the bigger clubs in Scotland need to be keeping an eye on all the young Scottish talent.
“Elliot Watt is, I know he sounds English, but he played for Scotland at youth level. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a Scotland call up in the next couple of months.
“You never know, he’s playing really, really well. He’s a guy who I think would certainly boost the Rangers squad and he’s clearly primed for a move at some point in the next few months.”
Josh Mulligan
DF: “He was a player who I think Rangers would have signed if Barry Ferguson had got the job.
“They opted not to move forward with it. I think everybody’s missed the boat. to be perfectly honest with you.
“I rave about him every time I see him. I remember at Dundee, watching him as a really young boy and it was one game in particular where his athleticism really, really stood out.
“I say that because you watch a lot of Scottish Premiership games and there’s a lot of talented players but sometimes that muscle and pace and power really is lacking.
“Josh Mulligan has it in abundance but he’s also a good footballer.
“I think if you marry the two of them together he’s going to be an appealing player for a lot of clubs down south. If you’re Hibs, he’s a prized asset. I can understand that.
“I actually think Josh Mulligan has a higher ceiling. I think Josh Mulligan can go really, really far.
“There’s always going to be the obvious comparisons with John McGinn because of the style of player he is. He’s obviously a Hibs.
“He’s a different player but I think he’s got so many good attributes and I just wonder if I’m Hibs and Rangers come in for him this month or Celtic come in for him this month, I’m asking for fortunes.
“I just think his next move is probably destined to be England.”
James Penrice
DF: “Penrice is another one that Rangers maybe would have signed last summer. He didn’t, he went to AEK Athens he hasn’t quite settled as well as he’s hoped.
“He’s one that naturally you would look at a good player who was probably pushing for Scotland at the stage.
“Again, coming back to the window, I was thinking can you get a deal done in January? Is it going to suit Athens?
“Are you going to be able to match wages? Do you want to match the wages?
“Not be able to, obviously, because you’ve got money to spend. I don’t know, I think there’s a bad distance to go on that one.”
The search for a new number six – and other midfield moves
Emil Bohinen and Pierre Ekwah
DF: “They’re looking for someone in there with that sort of profile, with a bit more of a presence about them.
“If you look at the Rangers midfield it’s been Connor Barron a lot, Nico Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, who obviously played very well when he came off the bench at the weekend, but I think they probably need a bit more presence in there. They don’t really have that kind of player.
“I wouldn’t say this player will be an enforcer slash destroyer, because you don’t really see that much in the modern game, but they could do with a bit more muscle in there. I think it would help.
“I remember seeing Emil Bohinen’s dad play for Norway. It always makes you feel old when you know there’s kids of players that you remember watching for a long time. He was a good player.
“His son’s obviously on loan at Venezia from Genoa just now and I’m not sure a move to Rangers is going to materialise.
“It doesn’t feel as if that one’s probably going to be likely in this window.
“St Etienne’s Pierre Ekwah is in a bit of a messy situation in terms of his contract.
“So he might be one that you can nip in and get.
“We’ll see how that one develops as well but I think it’s fair to say that profile of player is someone who would benefit Rangers.”
Heading out
Lyall Cameron
DF: “It’s always a balancing act. Is he better off staying in four or five months with Rangers, training with that standard of player, getting the odd games and taking his chances?
“I actually felt under Russell Martin at times, he did really well.
“I suppose the difference is it’s a new manager, he’s trying to get into a team that’s now going for a title, you can’t really learn on the job.
“I think again, he’s a guy who if he was to be available for a loan, you would have a queue of clubs trying to get him.
“I think he’s a player who long term can be a Rangers player, maybe not in the short term, so maybe it makes sense.
“There’s a couple of young Scottish guys at Rangers who could potentially benefit from a loan.
“But again, I wouldn’t be in an absolute rush to get rid of Lyall Cameron at this stage. I wonder if that’s one that can maybe happen later in the window.”
Findlay Curtis
DF: “He’s been unfortunate this season where he’s come on and flashed in certain games, especially when Rangers were struggling a couple of months ago.
“He was a real shining light, he came on and scored a couple of goals.
“I just wonder about the news of Neil McCann and Billy Dodds going in as the Killie management team, is Curtis a guy that could maybe go there?
“A team of that ilk who are playing in the Premiership, struggling a bit, could do with some goals.
“You spoke about Lyall Cameron benefiting from a loan, I think Findlay Curtis definitely could benefit from a loan.
“He’s probably not going to get the games that he needs at this stage of his career at Rangers this season.
“I think if he did go to Kilmarnock for talking’s sake, I think it would be a beneficial move for everybody.”
Joe Rothwell
DF: “It’s a signing that hasn’t worked.
“I almost think he was guilty by association with Russell Martin.
“I think it was a wee bit unfair.
“I think there were certain games where he was poor but he wasn’t alone.
“He’s a guy who would have no shortage of options. you would imagine in the Championship in England, top of League One where there’s clubs splashing a bit of money.
“I think he’s clearly got a real challenge to try and get into the team ahead of those who are there already. I think that’s one that would suit all parties if he just probably moved on this month.”
Oscar Cortes
DF: “He’s a guy who in about three years’ time, he’ll still probably be contracted to Rangers and on his 18th loan move!
“He showed up well in flashes when he got there but never really looked to me like he was ever going to nail down a place.
“He’s obviously been farmed out. It’s not worked out for him on loan in Spain, he’s going to get farmed out again to Argentina.
“Rangers will just need to cut their losses with him and come to some sort of agreement. There’s a few others behind the scenes as well, you forget about.
“For example, Kieran Dowell, a guy who featured under Russell Martin in the early stages of the season, has just completely vanished off the face of the earth.
“Again, it gets to a stage where you just need to cut your losses at some point and get these guys out.
“I’d imagine Danny Rohl is the kind of manager that wants a specific size of squad, he wants to give room for the youngsters to come through as well.
“It doesn’t do anybody any favours to have, I don’t like using the phrase deadwood, but guys just milling about that aren’t going to make a contribution.”
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