No Dessers & £2.5m target included in Rangers’ dream starting XI after January

Before the winter transfer market had started, Glasgow Rangers announced that they had signed Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva on a season-long loan at the end of December. This was the team’s first signing of the window.

It was a much-needed boost for Philippe Clement, who had been short on attacking alternatives. With the January window now open, he will be hoping to add a few more players.

1. Gijs Smal

Much will depend on the budget he has at his disposal, of course, as former manager Michael Beale splashed the cash rather lavishly during the summer.

If the Belgian manager can move on a couple of players to free up the wage bill, there could be space for another two or three new arrivals and the squad could look a lot different to what it did at the start of the season. With this in mind, here’s a look at what Rangers’ dream starting lineup could be following the end of the January transfer window, if they sign some of their main targets.

Although strengthening his options in attack remains the main focus for Clement, the situation in the left-back area is changing day by day.

Recent updates suggest that Ridvan Yilmaz is set to depart the club this month – according to reports in Italy (via Rangers Review) a- nd this has heightened the need for some extra cover in this position.

Borna Barisic is also being linked with a move away from Ibrox, as Dinamo Zagreb could be set to offer the defender a pre-contract deal, while AS Roma and Aston Villa have previously declared their interest in the Croatian.

Clement won’t want to lose both ahead of a busy schedule which indicates that he could make a swoop for FC Twente defender Gijs Smal, who is out of contract this summer.

That’s according to reports in the Netherlands (via the Scottish Sun) who claim that the Gers are monitoring Smal ahead of making a potential move for him this month.

The 26-year-old has only played eight times in the Eredivisie this term, yet he currently ranks fifth among the squad for key passes per game (1.5) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.6), which indicates that when he has featured, the Dutchman is a positive influence.

Clement could potentially secure him for a knockdown fee this month or wait and pay nothing in the summer, but with the way it is going, he may wish to bring him in sooner rather than later.

2. Million Manhoef

Moving on from the left-back conundrum, the Gers also require another addition out wide and Million Manhoef could be an ideal candidate.

Interest was first shown by the club last month, according to the Scottish Sun, with a fee of £2.5m looking like it would be enough to secure his services this month.

A new update from TEAMtalk has suggested that the Gers could strike a deal in the coming weeks as Vitesse Arnhem – Manhoef’s team – are struggling financially, thus suggesting that they could let him depart in January.

The 22-year-old has scored four goals in 15 league matches for Vitesse – contributing to 33% of his team’s total goals in the top flight this season – and he could thrive under Clement at Rangers.

Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson lauded him during his analysis of the winger via X, saying: “The main things that stand out about him are his electrifying pace and confidence on the ball.

“He’s a threat running in behind and also carrying the ball. Much like what Abdallah Sima has provided this season.”

This type of player is exactly what Clement needs to add to his options and while he may have offers from elsewhere, the chance to develop in Scotland and play European football on a consistent basis could be key to securing any sort of deal.

3. Michy Batshuayi

The Light Blues have been linked with a variety of players already since the window has been open, but Batshuayi is perhaps the most surprising, especially with his stature in the game.

Cyriel Dessers has scored just nine goals in 30 games during his time in Scotland; these are hardly the numbers that will propel the club to a 56th league title. In addition, the Nigerian forward lacks composure in the final third, as evidenced by the fact that he has missed 11 big chances in the league this season, the most of any Rangers player. The Scottish Sun reports that the Gers have reportedly shown interest in the Belgian forward following news that he appeared set to depart Turkish side Fenerbahçe this month.

Kemar Roofe has only been used sparingly in 2023–24 due to more knocks and niggles, and it may be the end of the road for the 31-year-old. Clement simply cannot rely on a player who consistently fails to play 90 minutes, so a move for Batshuayi could be crucial. Danilo is expected to miss the next three months due to a knee injury.

The former Chelsea star has played in just 911 minutes for Fenerbahçe this season, but he has scored nine goals—the same as Dessers—and has a goal ratio of one in every 2.6 club career games. The 30-year-old striker has also scored 27 goals in just 53 games for Belgium, including three goals in major tournaments, demonstrating his class.

Dream Rangers starting XI after January: GK – Butland; RB – Tavernier; CB – Goldson, CB – Balogun; LB – Smal; CM – Lundstram, CM – Raskin; RW – Manhoef, AM – Cantwell, LW – Sima; ST – Batshuayi. Without a doubt, he would be a fantastic signing, and the only possible roadblock might be what kind of wages he will be expecting. If he manages to show off his true ability in front of goal should a shock move to Rangers occur, Clement could be onto a winner.