Charlie Adam reckons Rangers are just a couple of signings short of a title-winning squad as the former Ibrox star urged Michael Beale to make a move for Lyndon Dykes.
The 37-year-old - who came through the ranks at Ibrox and won two major honours - is backing the Light Blues to win back the Scottish Premiership from rivals Celtic, although conceded that the return of Brendan Rodgers to Parkhead was a huge statement of intents from the Treble winners.
Adam spoke to 888sport about what Michael Beale needs next season to close the gap after the former QPR boss made progress with Rangers after replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst. But the Englishman still came up short in the games that mattered against Celtic with a 3-0 win at Ibrox after the league was over at least giving cause for optimism next season. Here is Adam’s take on the big Gers talking points.
Title race
When it comes to the league next season, I would have to be in the Rangers camp and back them to win the title. It will be a tight title race and one or two more signings for Rangers could really help them. The signing of Jack Butland is a big one, what Allan McGregor has done over the years has been phenomenal and Jack could carry that on in terms of his stature and mentality around the football club. I think that if they can get one or two more signings in, and then Celtic could also lose a couple, but it sounds like Celtic have a bit of money to strengthen as well… I think the title race will come down to the Old Firm matches next season and we’ll see where it goes, but I’ll go in the Rangers camp and say that they’ll win the league.
Lyndon Dykes
Rangers need a number 9 and they need pace in the right areas, the wide areas. Lyndon Dykes is one that has been mentioned recently and he’d absolutely be someone that they could look at, he knows Scottish football and he’s at a good age which is important. The scouting department will be looking at every angle and what is best for the club, and who is going to be able to come in and add something different. Michael Beale will probably try and look in the loan market when it comes to getting in a number nine. Ryan Kent is a miss and Alfredo Morelos is their top European goalscorer so you have to replace him.
People are asking why their contracts were allowed to run down but it works both ways. If you want to offer them a contract and they are not fully committed then it’s difficult, and from a business side you have to compare the cost of replacing them to the cost of keeping them in wages and that sort of thing. The whole idea is that sometimes players have done enough and they want to leave. Kent and Morelos have done that, they’ve seen their contracts out, and they’ll move on. They’ve contributed to Rangers over the past few years but they’ve moved on and Rangers will go in a different direction and try to bring some fresh, hungry players who are going to step up to the plate, because next year is going to be very difficult.
Michael Beale
Michael Beale’s record by the end of the season was brilliant, and he didn’t lose many which is important going forward. I like the fact that he’s done his business early and got a few players in early for pre-season so that they can be in and around the squad whilst they try to build something. You have to be ready to be active in the market in case something comes up, and they’ve done that, and they’ve got their players in.
Brendan Rodgers
Celtic have made a big statement in bringing Brendan Rodgers back, he’s top class. And I think it is going to be a brilliant season next year because both teams will really have a go at it again. Brendan Rodgers gives Celtic a sense of high standards. With Ange Postecoglou leaving to the Premier League, they’ve made a statement in terms of having a top manager, and it was a big appointment for them. Now it will come down to what he can do in the market to help Celtic to progress in trying to win the title again and trying to achieve something in the Champions League - potentially winning matches in the Champions League or going to the latter stages of the Europa League.
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