The Rangers manager Michael Beale wants to add as many as four new players and has already spoken to at least two targets who are keen to come to Ibrox.
Beale wants only permanent additions and will not pursue any loan moves in the January transfer window. As he prepared for tomorrow’s cinch Premiership match away to Dundee United, Beale was yesterday named Scottish Premiership manager of the month for December.
“We’ve spoken to two or three players,” he said. “I’m a little bit fussy. I want to sit in front of a player and I want to look in his eyes. This week’s been spent meeting people face-to-face and getting a feel for them. I want to recruit a player that comes in and does a really specific job for us in the squad because I think that’s what we need right now. I said when I first came in the job I didn’t think it was as broken as people were making out. I think what can improve are the performances on the pitch and I think three or four of the right additions can pull everything together.”
Those he had already spoken to were “very keen to come sooner rather than later” he said. One target was a midfielder. “I am looking to raise the technical ability across the squad, as you always do, and I am looking for someone dynamic and athletic,” he said. “I’m also looking for someone who I think can come and play in front of our crowd and relish that opportunity.”
Beale had mixed news on some of his injured players. Tom Lawrence has had a setback and his return from a knee problem is likely to be delayed. “Tom was away seeing a specialist yesterday to just get an idea of what comes next,” Beale said. “He has had a little bit of discomfort. We said he might be on his way back at the end of this month but that might now be in jeopardy.”
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Antonio Colak and Kemar Roofe are in full training and they were joined yesterday by John Souttar, who has had an ankle injury and played only once — away to Livingston on the Premiership’s opening day in July — since arriving from Hearts last summer. “He was probably too honest when he played at Livingston because he was in pain going into the game and ultimately it has cost him a little bit of his Rangers career,” Beale said. “Hopefully now he’s back. We took a little bit longer to try to get to the bottom of some of the issues that he’s had and we’re hopeful that we have.”
Souttar and Ianis Hagi, who last featured almost a year ago, should be available at the end of January.
