During the 2021/22 campaign, Ange Postecoglou brought 14 first-team signings to Celtic and ended his debut season on Scottish soil with a Premiership medal hanging around his neck. New Rangers boss Mick Beale may need to take a leaf out of the Aussie’s book, with so many members of his Ibrox roster out of contract either next summer or the one after.
Heading into the New Year, Rangers will be looking at reinforcements for just about every position on the pitch.
Here’s three player’s we think Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s replacement will make a, ahem, ‘beale-line’ for.
Ryan Porteous – Hibernian
If Porteous’ stand-out performance during Hibs’ 3-2 defeat at Ibrox earlier in December is anything to go by, the Scotland international could provide a solution for two problem positions in Beale’s Rangers side.
One of the division’s most impressive young centre-halves, Porteous was excellent in a new-look defensive midfield role the night in Glasgow. He even provided a threat in the opposition penalty area; giving Lee Johnson’s side an eighth minute lead with a thumping header.
Presuming the versatile James Sands leaves Ibrox following the expiry of his loan deal, Rangers will need reinforcements both in defence and midfield. Porteous could kill both birds with the same stone.
“(Porteous is) brilliant,” Scotland team-mate Craig Gordon said following the 23-year-old’s impressive international debut during September’s 0-0 draw with Ukraine.
“He was really composed on the ball, he threw his body in when he had to. He made some good blocks. I thought he was excellent. Not only was he a great defender, but he was good on the ball for us.”
Beale has spoken openly about his desire to add more homegrown talent to his Rangers squad. Edinburgh-born Porteous, then, would be a welcome addition for a variety of reasons.
Ahmed Kendouci – ES Setif
You’d struggle to find many midfielders with a better goals-per-game record this season than ES Setif’s enigmatic Algerian international. Kendouci has eight in just 11 outings; almost as many as Rangers’ entire midfield have managed between them in the Scottish Premiership.
An outstanding technician who boasts ‘out of this word’ numbers when it comes to passing and chance creation, Kendouci is ‘the best player’ in Algerian football and potentially represents a more affordable alternative to Malik Tillman.
The Bayern Munich loanee has a £6 million option-to-buy clause in his Rangers contract. Kendouci, however, could cost a mere fraction of that fee. When the 23-year-old was first linked, some 11 months ago, reports indicated that he could be snapped up for just £1 million. There is now a confidence at Rangers, Football Scotland say, that Kendouci could finally arrive in the New Year with ES Setif open to offers.
Beale is a coach who admires technically-gifted attacking midfielders. He got the best out of Chris Willock and Ilias Chair at QPR, after all. And Kendouci looks tailor-made for the number ten role currently occupied by Ryan Kent.
Nicolas Raskin – Standard Liege
The highly-rated Belgium U21 international, like Porteous, is out of contract next summer. As things stand, you’d get shorter odds on Neil Lennon expressing his love for all this Rangers than Raskin putting pen to paper on an extension. Talks have collapsed in rather acrimonious circumstances with his Jupiler League-based employers.
“He will not play or train with us anymore,” sighs Standard’s former Celtic boss Ronny Deila.
“It’s a shame for everyone. But it’s a situation where there is no win-win. It got more political and the club had to make a decision.
“I spoke with Nico. He is disappointed on one side but he knew it could happen. The club did everything to keep him. I haven’t seen the offer, but I’ve heard about it. I don’t know if it’s a question of money or rather an opportunity for him to leave.”
The good news, as far as Rangers are concerned, is that they have been handed a golden opportunity to sign an all-action, all-round central midfield player for a fraction of his £5 million market value (DH Net).
Raskin carries the ball like Ryan Kent, tackles like Ryan Jack and passes like Steven Davis. A natural-born leader to boot at the age of just 21; this jack-of-all-trades could go a long way to helping Beale re-jig a rusty engine room crying out for some new parts.
Jack, Davis and Scott Arfield are all entering the final few months of their contracts. There are also concerns regarding Glen Kamara’s Ibrox future.
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