“One step away” – Latest Rangers player exit must trigger further spending
A key Rangers player is now “one step away” from leaving Ibrox, with the club set to bank a significant fee.
This latest departure cannot be allowed to pass without action it must become the trigger for further essential spending to give Derek McInnes the quality he urgently needs.
While eight signings have already been made this window, several have been squad additions and contributions to a new leadership group in the dressing room.
As we saw at Tannadice on Friday and as McInnes himself made clear – this Rangers team requires ready-made quality that can step in and perform right now.
Nedim Bajrami close to €3 million Saudi switch
Prominent Italian journalist Nicola Schira posted on X on Monday morning that Nedim Bajrami “is one step away to join Al Taawoun from Rangers for €3m.”
The 27-year-old Albanian international is understood to have agreed a three-year deal that would take him to Saudi Arabia until 2029, complete with a significant salary for the Swiss-born player.
Rangers are expected to receive around £2.5 million for his permanent sale.
Bajrami contributed more than some others during his time at Ibrox, but he ultimately goes down as another unsuccessful transfer.
He was never a consistent first-choice in a defined role and would almost certainly have remained on the fringes again this season.
A permanent exit for roughly £2.5 million represents good business but those proceeds must go straight back out the door.
Rangers need to get busy
It is well known that Rangers want to remain active in the transfer market right through to the end of the window.
Quality players may only become available in the latter stages, yet that approach has to be balanced against the responsibility for what happens in the here and now.
Derek McInnes needs help. Rangers currently have half a team available, and the prospect of limping into a Europa League qualifier with a defensive crisis is simply unacceptable.
Everyone knew the squad numbers at the end of last season – and that situation has still not been fully rectified.
Ben Godfrey is a serious doubt and Olwethu Makhanya is facing a visa issue. Ross McCrorie is also carrying a knock, leaving the back line down to the bare bones. It is a ridiculous position to be in.
Then there is the obvious shortfall from middle to front. Three wingers are ideally required, but the bare minimum is two.
Until that happens, Rangers remain seriously underprepared –and that is playing with fire against a decent Jagiellonia Białystok side that could end their Europa League hopes before they even begin.