The January transfer window has been officially open for business for about two weeks in Glasgow Rangers They are yet to make a move to strengthen their team.
It's hard to hide away from the Gers' need to improve Philip ClementPlayers' options on the pitch, given how far behind their rivals they are Scottish Premier League table.
The Light Blues are already 15 points behind Celtic in the division, losing to their Glasgow rivals on penalties at Hampden Park in the League Cup final last month.
Clement and manager Niels Koppen are reportedly looking to add a new centre-back to the club, amid injuries to Leon Balogun, John Souttar and Dogon Sterling, among others.
Burnley defender Hjalmar Ekdal He is one of the reported targets on Rangers' radar, but the Scottish giants could also benefit from adding more attacking options to the squad before the end of the January transfer window.
The Gers currently have Vaclav Cerny on loan from Wolfsburg and they need to start thinking about what life might look like after he returns to Germany at the end of the season.
Vaclav Cerny's form with Rangers this season
Rangers have only signed the Czech international on loan from the Bundesliga side and there is no option to make the deal permanent at the moment, meaning the striker is only set to be at Ibrox until the summer.
His return to Wolfsburg would be a huge blow for the team ahead of the 2025/26 season, provided they cannot bring him back for a second spell, as he has been a big player for Clement this season.
The left foot buzzer has been raised 12 goals and seven assists He made 32 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, including three goals and two assists in six Europa League appearances.
These stats show that the Czech striker has the ability to create a threat as a scorer and goal maker on the right flank, and to cut the ball devastatingly with his left foot.
|
24/25 Premier League |
Vaclav Cerny |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
20 |
|
Objectives |
9 |
|
Great opportunities were missed |
5 |
|
Key passes for each match |
2.6 |
|
Helps |
2 |
As you can see in the table above, Cerny has provided plenty of quality at the top of the pitch in the Light Blues' Premier League, scoring a combined 14 goals and creating 'big chances' in 20 appearances in the division.
These stats show just how big a hit it will be when the 27-year-old star moves on from Ibrox at the end of the season, which is why the Gers must pay attention to the market to see if there is a chance of finding his long-term replacement.
With that in mind, Clement and Coppin must reignite the club's interest in Plymouth Argyle winger Morgan Whittaker, who has the potential to be Cerne 2.0 for the Light Blues.
Rangers' long-term interest in Morgan Whittaker
The Gers have not been linked with an interest in the England striker but have been credited with wanting the striker in several windows in the past.
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They reportedly had An offer of £2 million He was rejected by Swansea in the January transfer window at the start of 2023, two years ago this month, ahead of Michael Bale. He reignited this interest In the summer, only for Plymouth Argyle to sign him on a permanent deal ahead of the 2023/24 season.
It was then I mentioned last summerIn 2024, Rangers wanted to sign the striker from the Pilgrims and were preparing to pounce on the left-footed dynamo to bolster Clement's squad.
Journalist Alex Crook recently revealed Championship sides Hull City and Burnley have reportedly rejected bids from Plymouth for the winger, although it remains to be seen how interested they are in securing his services.
With interest in Whittaker seemingly growing, Clement should reignite the club's long-standing desire to sign the English star this month, rather than lose him again.
Why should the Rangers sign Morgan Whittaker?
Some may look at his form this season and wonder why the Gers would spend money to bring him to Ibrox, where he has struggled at times in front of goal.
Whitaker did He scored three goals He has provided just one assist in 18 Championship appearances this season, a far cry from an impressive return at the top of the pitch, although he also scored in a 1-0 win over Premier League side Brentford in the FA Cup. . Weekend.
However, he plays for Plymouth who are currently struggling Bottom of the tournamentwith only four wins, which is why it was difficult for him to flourish.
Rangers should, instead, look to his form in the 2023/24 season, as part of a Plymouth side that avoided relegation to League One, to see what kind of quality he can provide on the right flank for the Gers as their eventual replacement. To see me.
|
Championship 23/24 |
Morgan Whitaker |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
46 |
|
xG |
10.97 |
|
Objectives |
19 |
|
It created great opportunities |
10 |
|
Helps |
8 |
As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old has provided consistent quality in the final third as both a scorer and goalscorer, just as Cerny has done for the team so far this season.
Whitaker, who was It was hailed as “exciting” According to his former boss Steven Schumacher, he has the ability to cut off his left foot from the right to score goals consistently, as evidenced by his form last season, and can create “big chances” for his teammates to find the back of the net. .
Rangers could therefore sign him as the long-term replacement for the Czech international by signing him this month and giving him five months to settle in and learn from Cerny, before aiming to become a star player for Klement in the 2025/26 season. And beyond.
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It is now up to Koppen to move for Whittaker and agree a fee with Plymouth to bring the winger to Ibrox before the end of the January transfer window.
