It's looking like a long few weeks ahead for Rangers who are down to the bare bones at centre-back.
News that Connor Goldson faces weeks on the sidelines rubbed salt in the gaping wounds caused by that 7-1 thrashing by Liverpool at Ibrox. John Souttar remains sidelined alongside Filip Helander, while Ben Davies is being assessed for an injury after struggling for fitness in the early stages of his Ibrox career. It's a distinct possibility that could keep him out of this weekend's clash with Motherwell - and potentially beyond.
Should Davies be sidelined for any substantial spell, it would leave Gio van Bronckhorst facing a gruelling run from now until the World Cup break without any of his FOUR first-choice options in that position. And while James Sands has deputised there in the past and Leon King looks a promising option, it's not a pairing he will want or to rely on for a brutal run of nine games in 27 days that could make or break their domestic season.
But all hope isn't quite lost. Dipping into the free agent market at this stage in the season is something top level managers tend to avoid but when needs must, needs must. And while it's slim pickings, there are a few options out there that Van Bronckhorst will undoubtedly be considering - at least as a short-term option to tide him over until the injury situation eases up.
Here, Record Sport have taken a look at a few of those that might just be on the table.
Nick Bakker
Likely known to Van Bronckhorst from his extensive experience within Dutch football, 30-year-old Bakker was playing some of the best football of his career before cashing in on a money-spinning move to Saudi Arabia that didn't quite go to plan.
Four seasons as a regular in the Eredivisie with Emmen and Herenveen earned him his move to Al-Arabi but he didn't make a single appearance in his three months there prior to his release in September. Who knows what went wrong there but brief stints in the Middle East to bank some cash aren't exactly unheard of - just look at Hibs' Martin Boyle.
Known to feature at left-back in the past, he's a versatile, experienced option that Rangers' coaching team are probably well aware of. He's also likely very keen to get back to playing regular football, something that can be offered at Ibrox while Goldson, Souttar and Helander work their way back to fitness.
Salif Sane
Once one of the Bundesliga's most feared centre-backs and viewed as an almost-equal to Kalidou Koulibaly with the Senegal national team, Sane is in the need of a move to reignite his career. Now 32, he's a free agent after helping Schalke win the 2.Bundesliga title last season.
He made only 11 appearances along the way due to an injury in the first half of the campaign and falling out of favour late on when he refused to renew his contract, he showed in a run midway through the season. Statistically, he's up there with the best German football has seen in recent years in terms of duels and headers won and a short-term deal at Ibrox - at least initially - could help him get back to that level.
Vahid Selimovic
A former Serbian Under-19 international, Selimovic switched allegiances to Luxembourg after he didn't quite make the grade at Metz and has since gone on to pick up plenty of international experience with his country of birth. And at just 25, probably fits Van Bronckhorst's transfer strategy more than any other player here.
His club football CV might be something of a concern - he only has 73 appearances and the vast majority of that has come in Cyprus and Greece - but he was a Ligue 1 starter at an early stage in his career and there might just be a player in there waiting to be unearthed. He'd be cheap and cheerful as far as the options go and could be more than just a short-term stop-gap if there is something there to work with.
Gary Cahill
With Goldson facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Rangers need a leader in the backline and they need it fast. And while Cahill isn't exactly the most exciting option on the list, he is at the very least a vastly experienced player who you would think could capably fill in for a few months until injuries subside.
He may be 36 but he was a regular starter for the Bournemouth team who were promoted to the Premier League in the first half of last season and while he lost his place to January signing Nat Phillips, his attitude and professionalism were never in question. It has a tinge of the Jermain Defoe about it but that worked out not too badly and even if it doesn't go to plan, there's no massive risk in a short-term deal.
Joris Gnagnon
This one, on the other hand, might be risky. But high-risk, as they say, yields the highest reward.
Once one of French football's most promising defensive talents, Gnagnon's career has hit the skids after a disastrous spell with Saint-Etienne last season saw him leave without making a single appearance. He was released by Sevilla in 2021 with the club concerned over his "discipline and physical fitness" and at just 25, already looks to be at last-chance saloon if he's going to cut it at any decent level.
But his talent isn't in question and if someone behind the scenes at Rangers can get a hold of him and prevent him from being a disruptive influence, his potential is pretty much limitless having once made nearly 80 appearances for Rennes - including a couple against Celtic in the Europa League - before things went off the rails. One to explore, but might just be too much of a flight risk.
Ryan Bennett
It wasn't so long ago that this man was drafted in by Brendan Rodgers and played his part in a Leicester side that went on to finish fifth in the Premier League. Now 32, he's played a fair bit of football in the two years since, and cleared the 50 appearance mark for Swansea last season before an injury in March saw him lose his place.
He's made over 100 appearances for three clubs in England's top flight and while he's obviously tailed off a bit since leaving the Wolves permanently in 2020, he would at least be a steadying influence on the training pitch and an option to bring in to give Sands or King some relief in the time being.
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