This week has seen a flurry of transfer activity and rumours at Rangers and unusually limited to a singular position on the park.
Heading into the summer window Rangers had three first team options at left back in first choice Jefte, Turkish international Ridvan Yilmaz and young Robbie Fraser.
All remained with the club until last week, when Fraser joined Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic on a permanent transfer.
Now on its own this would be a simple transfer move, a young, third choice defender departing after just falling short of the grade.
However, it came on the back of firstly, Yilmaz’s removal from the first team squad after being deemed surplus to requirements by new head coach Russell Martin AND the acceptance of a transfer bid for Jefte from Palmeries in the Brazilian’s homeland.
With Fraser out the door, and both Jefte and Yilmaz expected to head to Brazil and Turkey in the next few days, this left Rangers without a recognised left back heading into Saturday evening’s Premier Sports Cup match against Alloa Athletic.
Dujon Sterling, who can fill in on the left hand side also remains injured, and Max Aarons who has featured on that side, was chosen at right back after some unconvincing showings earlier this season on the left flank.
There was confusion at the official team sheet when it was announced, with supporters confused as to who was actually playing left back.
Initially it was preserved to be Oscar Cortes, but upon kick off it was clear that young central midfielder Bailey Rice was filling in.
The left footed midfielder did not look comfortable and was badly at fault for Alloa’s first goal in Rangers 4-2 Ibrox victory.
He then went off injured, which could scupper any potential loan move in the pipeline.
Rangers have somewhat addressed the left back issue ahead of tomorrow’s crunch first leg tie against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League playoff round by bringing in 19-year-old Brentford defender Jayden Meghoma on loan for the season.
Meghoma played under Martin at Southampton, with the gaffer giving him his footballing debut at just 17 in an EFL Cup match but he has only added 21 first team games to his resume since then, the majority of which were in the EFL Championship with Preston during an unconvincing loan spell.
Whilst undoubtably a talent, with Brentford splashing the cash for his signature from the Saints, after which former Bees boss Thomas Frank said Meghoma was: “one of the biggest left-back talents this country has”, he does not seem totally ready for the pressure and rigors of being a weekly regular at a club the size of Rangers.
Another left back is badly needed, and a high quality one at that. We have missed out on James Penrice and Owen Beck this window, as well as a potential move for former Celtic left back Greg Taylor on a Bosman, but one potential deal still remains possible to the new Ibrox hierarchy.
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That brings us to Josh Doig, a player who, at this point in his career, would represent far more than a stop-gap solution. Now 23 and with three years of Serie A experience under his belt at Hellas Verona and Sassuolo, as well as a good campaign in Serie B last year, Doig has developed into a dependable, athletic modern full-back.
He’s still the same rangy, attack-minded defender who broke through at Hibs, but with the defensive maturity and positional nous that comes from facing top quality attackers on a regular basis.
Rangers need more than just numbers at left back, they need a proven starter who can immediately settle into Martin’s system and handle the scrutiny that comes with being a first-choice Ibrox defender.
Doig ticks every box: Scottish, knows what to expect from the league, young enough to grow in value, experienced at a high level, and crucially, available this summer, having previously been linked with a move to Celtic this summer, with a fee of around £3m being asked for.
In short, Doig is the obvious solution to Rangers’ left-back crisis. He would arrive as a ready-made starter, a player who understands Scottish football but has been hardened by Serie A, and someone who could anchor the position for the next five years plus.
If the club is serious about building a side to consistently compete in the Champions League and wrestle the title back from Celtic, a Scottish core and identity is needed and this is precisely the calibre of signing they need to make.+