As Las Palmas prepare for life in the Spanish second tier, two Scottish internationals look set to be on the move. Both Scott McKenna and Oli McBurnie have release clauses set to trigger upon relegation, and while the media will inevitably toss up the usual “Old Firm tug of war” headlines, there’s only one Glasgow club who should be seriously considering McKenna.
That club is Rangers.
McKenna, now 28, is entering his prime has spent the last season testing himself at the highest level of European football. He made 31 appearances in La Liga against the best forwards Spain has to offer, Inaki Williams, Antoine Griezmann, Robert Lewandowski and the rest and held his own.
Las Palmas may have suffered relegation, but their defensive spine, marshalled by McKenna, picked up points against Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, with victories over the latter duo. That’s not something you ignore.
So why should Rangers make the move?
First, let’s talk profile. McKenna is exactly the kind of defender we lack. Left-footed, physically imposing, aerially dominant, and comfortable playing in a possession-based system, he's built for Scottish football and seasoned by the continental game.
With Leon Balogun’s departure, and left sided options Ben Davies and Robin Propper surely set to end their torrid spells at Ibrox this summer, McKenna would offer reliability and presence, as well as an international pedigree Rangers can lean on in Europe.
Secondly, value for money. With a relegation release clause in place, McKenna wouldn’t command a fee, something that immediately fits into our initial £20 million summer budget.
We could secure a battle-hardened Scottish international with Champions League and Premier League experience, who has previously thrived in the Scottish Premiership without overreaching our transfer fund. It's the kind of low-risk, high-reward signing Rangers need to be making in this market.
And let’s not ignore the Scottish core angle. If we’re serious about rebuilding the identity of this team and ticking those UEFA homegrown boxes, adding another Scotland cap into the mix makes perfect.
Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell have spoken about intelligent recruitment. Signing a proven player entering his prime, who fits the club's DNA and solves a glaring squad issue, is intelligent recruitment.
Of course, there will be noise from the other side of the city. Celtic were linked with McKenna last summer. Let them chase McKenna if they want, but if they do, it’s only further proof of his quality.
We need to be proactive here. This isn’t a time for watching and waiting. This is a chance to land a domestic-ready centre-half who can walk into the team and lead from the back on day one.
Scott McKenna in blue at Ibrox? It makes too much sense. He’s available, he's affordable, and he fills a need. It’s time to move.