A Difficult Balancing Act Rangers Must Get Right If They Want To Challenge For The Title

Rangers are looking to build a title-winning team, but at the same time, the club are trying to ensure they live within their means and avoid past mistakes. It’s a difficult balancing act.

A report today showed that 73.8% of the club’s income is being spent on wages at the moment, that is 15% more than rivals Celtic (58.4%).

Still, the need to try and bridge the gap to the current Scottish Premiership champions will mean making more signings that could drive up that percentage even further.

One player that Rangers have looked at in the past is Martin Skrtel. Steven Gerrard’s former teammate is available on a free transfer but his wages (north of £30k a week) would make any deal prohibitive.

Instead, the club have been focusing their attention on signing an English League Two defender George Edmundson, who they would have to pay a transfer fee for but would demand less in terms of a salary.

I know who I would prefer the club to go after. Skrtel is an experienced international, and at 34 years of age, he still has the capability of playing at the top level.

However, I can see why compromising a wage structure that sees the average player at Ibrox take home £9k a week would not be a good idea.

With the club unable to compete with English clubs for Ryan Kent too, it seems like a cheaper alternative has been found in Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo.

The worry, of course, by going after the likes of Edmundson and Ojo, is that it won’t be enough to stop Celtic claiming nine in a row.

Supporters will be hoping these conservative early deals are not the sum of the Gers’ summer transfer strategy, but just a small portion of what is to come.

With the Old Firm rivals going through a transition under a new manager, this is the perfect time to capitalise and reclaim top spot. Nobody is asking for the club to overreach but to offer the manager a fair crack of the whip and grab this opportunity with both hands.

Whether the club’s conservatism, in terms of wages and transfers, will limit Gerrard’s chances of making a real fist at challenging for the title next season, we shall have to wait and see.