Clement transfer blunder as he's told he missed Rangers 'no brainer'

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Rangers recruitment has undergone something of a reset this summer with Philippe Clement taking the club in a new and much-needed change of direction.

A structured player trading model was devised by Nils Koppen and the age of the squad is heading in the right direction.

There are a few issues remaining positionally, however, one of the biggest remains the lack of homegrown talent needed to meet UEFA quotas leaving the Rangers manager to work with one hand tied behind his back.

• READ MORE:Rangers Net Transfer Spend Summer 2024

Rangers told that they should have signed Scott McKenna

The Europa League squad currently only has 21 names on it, four short of the permitted 25 and Andy Halliday, speaking on the Open Goal podcast, reckons that should be 22 having missed out on an obvious signing:

"I don't know if they were interested, but surely that was a no-brainer signing for Rangers this summer, Scott McKenna.

"For me, you'd have went and signed him in the summer."

With Rangers needing defensive reinforcements and Connor Goldson leaving, McKenna seemed like a player who made a lot of sense.

Available on a free transfer, the Scotland international's experience in major tournaments, in the Champions League and Premier League make him a better player than the one that left the SPFL.

Had Rangers been able to move on Ben Davies quicker, then it might have been more of a possibility.

Instead, McKenna earned himself an opportunity he couldn't turn down by signing for Las Palmas, spending his peak years in Gran Canaria against some of the continent's best strikers in La Liga – who can blame him when the alternative is Dingwall in December.

Rangers need to avoid McKenna mistake repeat

Halliday is right though.

There were reports that Rangers were interested, but none that mentioned any concrete offer.

Scottish internationals and, more importantly, those that spent their formative years in an academy in Scotland should always be considered if the player is right.

Take Liam Lindsay as an example.

Leon Balogun will be nearly 37 when his contract expires and Lindsay has been a solid performer in England's lower leagues.

His form this season has seen him earn his first Scotland call-up and the 6ft 3inch tall stopper should be on a list of names somewhere in Nils Koppen's office.

The 28-year old maybe doesn't have the elite level experience of McKenna, but in terms of style of play, there are similarities.

As with Balogun and Filip Helander, there is nothing wrong with having defenders who focus on the basics, and do them well.

Rangers missed the boat with McKenna, but there is no reason why they should miss it again with Lindsay.