Now that Pedro Caixinha’s honeymoon period is over, the gap between Rangers and Celtic looks as big as ever and a major rebuilding is needed at Ibrox over the summer. We have identified 3 players who can turn things around at Ibrox next season and they are Ryan Jack, Kenny McLean, and Graham Dorrans.
Aberdeen skipper Ryan Jack is out of contract at the end of May and despite his manager’s insistence that he going nowhere, the player himself has never refused to rule out a move to the Gers. This will not go down well with Dons fans at all.
The Aberdeen-born midfielder though is looking to establish himself in the Scotland national team and will feel he has a better chance of doing that at Rangers. The club know fully well that they have to get past Aberdeen before getting to Celtic. So taking one of their key players away would be like landing a high blow.
That blow would be so much heavier should fellow midfielder Kenny McLean also join Caixhina’s revolution. The former St Mirren man could be part of a major midfield overhaul and has spent his previous 2 years at Aberdeen. His transfer may be difficult to complete. However, given that he is under contract for another year, the club can demand a transfer fee.
For their part, Rangers may be willing to pay whatever Aberdeen ask, on the basis that they would be decimating the Dons’ squad while improving their own. The fact that they would effectively justify this by spreading out the cost of the transfer over both McLean and Jack, makes it look much more valuable.
The midfield transformation could be completed by the biggest signing of them all – Graham Dorrans. The Norwich City midfielder is way above the level of players competing anywhere other than Celtic and in fact may well prove to be the best player of all in the Scottish Premiership if he were to complete a move from Carrow Road.
Popular during a 7-year spell at West Bromwich Albion, Dorrans is now one of the better players at Norwich and is clearly of English Premier League class. Norwich’s record when Dorrans is in the team betters their record without him, which shows his influence in the middle. Should Rangers land the man who grew up supporting the club, they would be achieving a major coup; a symbol of their rebuild having really kicked into gear.
