Does Dorrans injury highlight importance of Rangers signing McLean?

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Ibrox midfielder Graham Dorrans will miss three months of Rangers’ action.

Graham Dorrans will be reportedly sidelined for three months after the Rangers midfielder underwent surgery to correct his ankle injury, leaving Graeme Murty with a decision to make in the January transfer window.

STV claim the 30-year-old ace is expected to be out until March which will see the former West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City midfielder miss a total of five months of football after last appearing for the Gers on October 25.

Signed by former manager Pedro Caixinha in the summer, Dorrans has been crucial to the Gers 2017-18 campaign as he continued to provide the connection between midfield and attack with five goals and three assists in 13 games.

Now, Murty will have a big decision to make in the January transfer window as the 11-time Scotland international’s box-to-box effect in the middle of the park desperately needs replacing.

Rangers have been repeatedly linked with a move for out-of-contract Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean and must surely now look to move for the Dons midfielder in January in order to replace Dorrans.

Dons boss Derek McInnes was quoted by the Scottish Sun in October as saying the midfielder would definitely be leaving Pittodrie at the end of his contract, with Rangers likely to be front runners in attempting to land his signature.

Although a move to lure the 25-year-old to Ibrox at the end of his contract is expected, Rangers should consider bringing the former St. Mirren ace to Glasgow ahead of schedule in order to ease the loss of the influential Dorrans.

The latter’s injury highlights the need of a players such as McLean, as Rangers look to keep pace with Old Firm rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership. With McLean’s contract up, he could make a cut-price move in January.

Signing McLean in January would be a huge boost to Rangers’ slim chances of pipping Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title, as the midfield powerhouse continues to impress in McInnes’ side. A January move is now a must, for Murty.