Bargain buys, free transfers and big money signings: the recruitment that helped Rangers land their 55th title

Gerrard has, with the assistance of recruitment Svengalis Mark Allen and Ross Wilson, slowly but surely assembled his triumphant team during the past three years and has achieved something that proved beyond both Warburton and Caxinha thanks to some excellent acquisitions.

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The former Liverpool and England midfielder, though, inherited three of his most important players, Ryan Jack, Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier, when he arrived and is appreciative to the coaches who brought the trio on board.

“Just because you haven’t had success as a previous manager doesn’t mean you haven’t played your part,” he said. “There’s players here now that we’re getting a lot of contribution from that were brought here by previous managers.”

It has taken seven months and 32 games for Rangers to clinch their first Premiership since 2011. But the first step towards the Scottish title was taken nearly six years ago when Tavernier arrived.

The right back joined along with striker Martyn Waghorn in a £200,000 transfer from English Championship outfit Wigan way on July 20, 2015. That has proved to be money very well spent. He has been a regular starter and a consistent performer during the past six campaigns.

But this has been the defender’s best season by some distance. Gerrard, who made his countryman captain after he was appointed, wants his full-backs to get upfield and initiate attacks and Tavernier has done that to devastating effect. The designated penalty taker has scored 11 league goals and supplied 11 assists.   

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Caxinha isn’t remembered particularly fondly by Rangers fans. The image of the Portuguese coach standing in a bush outside the Stade Josy Barthel arguing with a baying mob following the humiliating defeat to Luxembourgian minnows Progres Niederkorn is seared in their memory banks. But it wasn’t entirely bad.

Morelos, who had been spotted by first team coach Jonatan Johansson playing for HJK in his native Finland, signed for just £1m on June 19, 2017. Life has seldom been boring since.

The Colombian has, due to the arrival of Kemar Roofe from Anderlecht in a £4.5m deal in August, performed a slightly different role during the 2020/21 campaign and hasn’t netted with the same regularity because of that. But he has developed into far more of an all-round player and has still pitched in with some important strikes.

Jack was another who Caixinha targeted. The central midfielder incurred the wrath of Aberdeen supporters when he moved to their hated rivals on a free transfer. But he is a boyhood Rangers fan and it has shown. Gerrard is a huge admirer.

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However, Jack, Morelos and Tavernier are the only three players who the 40-year-old hasn’t brought in. Many of those who arrived in his very first transfer window back in the summer of 2018 have been important contributors to this success.

Scott Arfield (Burnley, free), Allan McGregor (Hull City, free, Connor Goldson (Brighton, £3m) and Borna Barisic (Osijek, £2.2m) have all flourished.

McGregor was one of those who refused to have his contract transferred from the old to the new company in 2012. But his return was warmly welcomed. Bringing in a goalkeeper with such ability and experience was seen as a significant milestone in their recovery.  

John Brown, the Rangers great who now works in the scouting department, deserves credit for making it happen. It was “Bomber” who made the initial contact and pushed the deal through.  

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The signing of Glen Kamara in the January of 2019 wasn’t greeted with quite the same enthusiasm. The former Arsenal youngster’s capture from Dundee in January for a reputed fee of £50,000 has been a brilliant bit of business. The Finn took time to establish himself, but he is now a classy and composed presence in the centre of the park.

Kamara has benefitted from having Steven Davis alongside him in Govan. His fellow midfielder returned from Southampton, on loan at first, at the same time. The Northern Ireland skipper has, despite turning 36 in January, missed few matches. His consistency and game intelligence has been crucial.

Joe Aribo (Charlton, £300,000), Filip Helander (Bologna, £3.5m) and Ryan Kent (Liverpool, £7m) were all snapped up in the next window and have been great successes. But Rangers failed to sustain their title challenge in the second half of the 2019/20 campaign. When an important player picked up an injury or a suspension there was a dip in form. Gerrard and his directors realised further reinforcements were required.

When the country emerged from its first lockdown, Ianis Hagi (Genk, £3m), Calvin Bassey (Leicester, £230,000), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland, free), Leon Balogun (Wigan, free), Roofe, Cedric Itten (St Gallen) and Bongani Zungu (Amiens, loan) were all added to the squad. There has been no drop in standards this term. 

Rangers have made mistakes in their transfer dealings in the past three years. But they have got far more right than they have got wrong. The chances are high that Jack Simpson and Scott Wright, who are the latest bright young talents they have snapped up, will shine going forward given how well those who have come before them have fared.