Rumours are circulating that Celtic are interested in Scottish international left-back Josh Doig. The other side of the city are reportedly preparing a bid for the former Hibernian man.
But with Celtic having already recruited Kieran Tierney, should Rangers be looking to hijack this move?
Doig departed Hibs in the summer of 2022, heading to Serie A in Italy, part of a growing trend among young Scottish players seeking development abroad. He initially signed for Hellas Verona for a fee believed to be around £3 million.
A move to Sassuolo followed in January 2024 for €6 million, but now he appears set for a return to Scottish football.
Celtic may have brought Tierney back, but they’ve lost both Greg Taylor and Jeffrey Schlupp, leaving them with only one natural option at left-back.
While Tierney is a quality player, he’s consistently crocked and unlikely to be available for long stretches of the season, despite being one of their highest earners. This creates a potential opportunity that Rangers would be wise to exploit.
If we swoop for Doig, we could offer him something Celtic can’t: guaranteed first-team football as the club’s first choice left-back. With the new ownership group injecting £20 million into the budget, the money is certainly there to make a competitive offer.
To help finance the move, Rangers could offload one of Doig’s potential positional rivals. Turkish international Ridvan Yilmaz has never managed to fully establish himself at Ibrox since his arrival from Besiktas three years ago.
A combination of inconsistency and injury problems has limited his impact, and with two years remaining on his five-year deal, now may be the right time to cash in and recoup some of the £3.4 million fee.
There has been consistent speculation linking Yilmaz with a move back to Turkey. Still only 24, he has his peak years ahead of him, and a transfer would make sense for all parties. I
f Rangers could secure a fee in the region of £2–3 million, those funds could go directly toward financing the Doig deal, allowing more flexibility in the rest of the summer budget.
Beyond the financials, Doig’s arrival would bring a homegrown Scottish talent into the first team, while simultaneously denying our title rivals a valuable asset.
Jefte, who served as our first choice left-back last season, showed flashes of potential but also inconsistency. He is still young and may benefit from stepping out of the firing line. Doig could not only strengthen the squad immediately but also mentor Jefte in adapting to the demands of the Scottish game.
Rangers have missed out on too many promising Scottish players in recent years. Doig, along with Max Johnston, son of former Ranger Allan, must be recruited now, or the opportunity will be lost for good. Two young, dynamic Scottish full backs are there to be signed.
Will Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell recognise the moment? We certainly hope they do.