Barry Ferguson reckons the next TWO transfer windows are crucial for Rangers.
The Ibrox legend concedes January is a difficult time for recruitment as it is mainly players heading out of contract - like Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent - or those who are out of favour and not playing as may minutes as they'd like at their own clubs. The Light Blues face what the former skipper describes as a 'sizeable rebuild' and the club must step it up a notch or two starting from January 1.
Rangers are trailing rivals Celtic by nine points at the Premiership summit with boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst feeling the heat after a string of poor results and performances. Injuries have not helped the cause with key men like Connor Goldson and Tom Lawrence long-term absentees for the Ibrox men. Ferguson has called on Rangers to use the World Cup break for some soul searching and then come back and show that they are not going down in the race for top spot without a 'hell of a fight'.
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Writing in his Daily Record column, he said: "Rangers need to recruit in the January transfer window but it's a difficult window for a number of reasons. Players who are available are often guys who are running down their contracts and about to become free agents and then there's the ones who have maybe fallen out of favour and are not match fit.
"It's far from ideal but I believe these next two windows are crucial for Rangers as there needs to be reinforcements brought in. I'm not talking about adding the numbers, these players need to be able to hit the ground running and be able to come straight into the starting XI.
"Recruitment is never an exact science and doesn't come with any 100-per-cent guarantees in football. There are a number of reasons why some signings don't work out. Some players fail to settle, there are a number of reasons why recruitment can fall down and there are always risks attached but Rangers haven't been anywhere near good enough on that front.
"It needs to step up a notch or two come January and the summer but that also depends on one thing and that is whether there will be funds available. Anyone looking at Rangers just now will see a squad which does need quite a bit of money spent on it.
"There are around ten players about to go out of contract and that includes some who are returning from spells out on loan. It all adds up to a sizable rebuild which is going to be required, that's why these windows are going to be so crucial but it's also about the here and now.
"It's all about trying to use this break for some soul searching and returning with a defiance and showing if Rangers are going to go down in this title race then it won't be without one hell of a fight."
READ NEXT:
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