Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha wants to bring players he knows to Ibrox.
Former Rangers coach Ian Durrant
Former Rangers coach Ian Durrant has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he supports Gers boss Pedro Caixinha’s plan to bring in players he has worked with previously.
Rangers picked up a 2-1 win over Partick Thistle on Sunday afternoon, meaning that Old Firm rivals Celtic remain the only team to beat the Gers under Caixinha’s stewardship.
However, the manner of those defeats to Celtic – 2-0 and 5-1 – and the 36 points gap between the two teams in the table means that Rangers must work hard to chase down Celtic this summer, with Caixinha set to enter his first transfer window as Ibrox boss.
With loanees Jon Toral and Emerson Hyndman returning to respective parent clubs Arsenal and Bournemouth, and both Clint Hill and Philippe Senderos leaving when their contracts expire, the squad is being cut already – but the focus will be on bringing players in.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
As quoted by the Daily Mail, Caixinha revealed that he intends to sign players he has worked with previously, as he knows them inside and out, with three players linked with Rangers fitting the bill.
Last Friday, AS reported that Caixinha wanted to reunite with Jose Abella and Carlos Izquierdoz having worked with both players at Santos Laguna, whilst the Daily Mail carried quotes from the agent of Ghana defender Rashid Sumaila, claiming that Rangers were keen to seal a deal – not a huge surprise given that Caixinha signed him for Al-Gharafa.
Ghana’s Rashid Sumaila with Netherlands ace Arjen Robben
Those players make perfect sense for Caixinha to target this summer, and former Rangers coach Ian Durrant has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he supports Caixinha’s summer transfer plans.
Whilst Durrant noted that he thinks Caixinha will identify players in Scotland too, he is right to target players he knows and trusts, as they’re the ones who will be putting Caixinha’s plans onto the pitch.
“The manager has to have trust in his players and if he has that I’m sure he’ll go and get them,” said Durrant. “When you’re in the dugout you’ve got to trust them when they cross the white line. It’s a hard badge to wear but it’s enjoyable when you’re doing well. If there were players in Scotland I’m sure he’d try and identify them too. It’s the manager’s decision and that’s what he’ll be judged on and Rangers fans will hope he gets it right,” he added.
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