Rangers growing use of the loan market has sparked plenty of discussion among the support this season, with many fans wondering whether the club is already at – or close to – the maximum number of temporary signings permitted under football’s regulatory framework.
With Nasser Djiga (Wolves), Max Aarons (AFC Bournemouth), Derek Cornelius (Marseille – with an option to buy in summer) all arriving on loan, plus teenage additions Jayden Meghoma (19, Brentford) and Mikey Moore (18, Tottenham Hotspurs) in the summer, along with the latest addition of Andreas Skov Olsen (Wolfsburg, option to buy this summer) some supporters have questioned whether Rangers are now restricted from adding further reinforcements on a temporary basis with discourse starting amongst supporters online.
The short answer is: yes, Rangers can still sign more players on loan, and the reason lies in how Scottish, European and global football authorities define and regulate different types of loans.
What the SPFL rules say
Under Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) regulations, there is a commonly cited limit of six loan players “in aggregate”.
However, that restriction applies specifically to domestic temporary transfers – loans involving other Scottish clubs – or players registered under Co-operation Agreements.
Crucially, the SPFL rules also state that no such limit applies where a transfer requires an International Transfer Certificate (ITC). In other words, when a player is loaned in from a club outside Scotland, the domestic six-player cap does not apply.
Given Rangers current loanees have arrived from England, France and Germany, those deals fall into the category of international temporary transfers, meaning the SPFL’s domestic loan ceiling does not restrict them.
FIFA’s international loan cap
The more relevant constraint comes from FIFA, which introduced a global loan framework to regulate the international loan market.
Under FIFA regulations, clubs are limited to:
• A maximum of six professional players loaned in
• A maximum of six loaned out
However, there are important exemptions. Players aged 21 or under do not count towards this limit, and there are also exemptions for club-trained players.
That distinction is key for Rangers. Meghoma (19) and Moore (18) fall into the U21 exemption category, meaning they do not count towards the FIFA loan cap.
The senior loanees – Djiga, Aarons, Cornelius and Skov Olsen – would be the ones that contribute to the six-player total.
On that basis, Rangers appear to be operating with four “counting” international loanees, leaving room for up to two more senior loan signings under FIFA’s regulations, as well as additional flexibility for any further U21 arrivals.
UEFA squad registration considerations
While Rangers may be permitted to sign more players on loan under SPFL and FIFA rules, UEFA competition regulations introduce a different type of constraint.
European squad registration limits clubs to 25 players on List A, with List B reserved for club-developed youth players. Most international loanees do not qualify for List B, meaning any additional signings must fit within the senior squad limit.
However, with Rangers unlikely to progress beyond the UEFA Europa League’s league phase after amassing only a single point from their first six fixtures – this is unlikely to impact their short-term transfer planning.
Regulation, not speculation
The debate among Rangers supporters is understandable given the number of temporary signings made across multiple windows. But from a regulatory perspective, the rules remain clear:
• The SPFL does not restrict international loans in the same way as domestic ones.
• FIFA allows up to six senior international loanees, with U21 players exempt.
• UEFA limits squad size rather than the number of loans themselves.
In practical terms, Rangers are not currently blocked from using the loan market further, should the right opportunities arise. Any future moves will be shaped more by squad planning than by hard regulatory ceilings and the club can, at present, make two more loan moves this month.