Rangers should bring Brentford’s MacLeod back to Ibrox

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Ibrox club Rangers are likely to be busy in the January transfer window.

One of the top priorities in Derek McInnes’ in-tray at Ibrox should be adding a winger to Rangers’ ranks in the January transfer window, as the Gers struggle to offer any attacking threat from the flanks.

It has seen interim manager Graeme Murty drop Daniel Candeias and play a diamond formation that sees Carlos Pena play behind Kenny Miller and Josh Windass, a system which orchestrated two wins in two against Aberdeen last week.

However, Scottish Premiership opponents will become accustomed to the Gers’ diamond formation in no time at all, and can easily defend against such a narrow system by playing defensively narrow themselves.

McInnes is yet to be appointed but his arrival at Ibrox seems inevitable, and he will acknowledge that width is pivotal. Bringing a player in that can have an immediate impact in the Light Blue of Rangers from the left flank – Candeias is more than capable on the right – is crucial.

McInnes should target someone who understands Scottish football; someone who knows what it is like to represent the Gers in an Old Firm derby against bitter rivals Celtic.

That should see him turn his attentions to assist machine Lewis MacLeod, who has finally overcome a long-term knee injury during his time at Brenford.

Moving down south from Rangers in 2015 to the London club, 23-year-old MacLeod has managed just 15 appearances for the Bees after suffering the problem last season. In that time, though, he has still managed to provide four assists.

During his 76 appearances for the Ibrox club, MacLeod had a hand in 31 goals for Rangers as he scored 16 and laid on 15, and that kind of creativity in attacking precision in the final third from out wide is just what the Gers are missing.

MacLeod’s vision and ability cross dangerously from the left flank and set pieces could be the difference in seeing the Gers begin to increase the gap between themselves and the rest of the Scottish Premiership, excluding Celtic.