Andy Walker has a warning for Rangers and Mark Warburton

Follow us on Google Discover

Rangers are 14 points behind their Old Firm enemies and Walker says the gap could increase further.

Former Celtic striker Andy Walker has told Sky Sports that Rangers need to back Mark Warburton in the January transfer market, but concedes it may be unlikely.

Notwithstanding a dramatic and unprecedented collapse from their green-clad rivals across the city, Rangers’ return to the Scottish Premiership after four seasons away will end in a runners-up spot at the most.

Though Warburton’s side have given themselves an excellent chance to make an immediate return to European football thanks to recent wins over fellow challengers Aberdeen and Hearts, with the managers’ good work perhaps not getting the credit it deserves.

While Brendan Rodgers has the benefit of sound financial footing at Celtic Park, allowing him to bring in the likes of Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele in the summer, Warburton has been forced to prioritise ageing veterans desperately in need of new employers, out-of-contract youngsters or hopeful signings from the English lower leagues.

And Walker, who had two spells at Celtic in his playing career, says chairman Dave King must aid his manager in the transfer market or risk falling ever further behind their Old Firm rivals.

“Financially [Celtic] are very strong and now they have released some serious money in Scottish terms to give Brendan Rodgers money to spend and then of course you have the Champions League money Celtic get in again that pushes them further away from Rangers and the rest,” Walker told Sky Sports.

“But, of course, when you are a Rangers manager you have to show that you are capable of matching Celtic and that is the demands that Mark Warburton has.

“I think it would be better if Dave King gave him some money to spend in January but who knows how realistic that is.”

According to the Daily Record, Celtic could earn up to £34 million due to their exploits in the Champions League group stages, meaning Rangers could well find that the chasm between the Old Firm neighbours widens further.