Barry Ferguson’s big Ibrox transfer fear

Barry Ferguson has opened up on the nightmare transfer scenario facing Giovanni van Bronckhorst. 

The lack of new signings is a clear indication of a club with serious cash issues but the elephant/buffalo in the room is three key players running down their contracts. 

A year ago there was round the clock coverage of Odsonne Edouard, Ryan Christie and Kris Ajer as they entered the final year of their Celtic deals. 

Ange Postecoglou’s rebuild was heavily dependent on moving those players on. In mid-July Ajer joined Brentford with Carl Starfelt signing from Rubin Kazan on the same day. 

At the end of the window Edouard and Christie moved south allowing Jota and Giorgos Giakoumakis to join Celtic with Postecoglou’s side already suffering two SPFL defeats. 

Van Bronckhorst is facing similar issues with Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and Joe Aribo but rather than bring in new signings it looks like he’ll have to get a tune out of players counting down to pre-contract agreements in January.  

Ferguson warned Daily Record readers: 

But the whole transfer strategy will be determined by what happens next with Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo. That’s when we’ll really know what Rangers need from this market – as well as what they can afford to spend in it. 

Getting Colak in the door might only be the start of the hard work if two or three of Gio’s top players are sold off before the new season begins. For the time being it feels like a bit of a waiting game but the sooner the manager knows exactly what he’s working with the better for all concerned. 

Despite the hype of the Record there is no interest in Morelos from Sevilla, in Aribo from Aston Villa or from Leeds in Kent. 

The good news is that Ferguson thinks Antonio Colak will be pure magic if a deal can be struck with PAOK.