The chances of securing Europa League Football after Christmas for Rangers has diminished following their underwhelming 1-1 draw against Aris Limassol on Thursday evening.
The hosts had to come from behind to secure a point and while the Gers currently occupy second spot in the group, unless they beat Real Betis, they will require a favour from the Cypriot side in their tie against Sparta Prague to secure progress in Europe’s second-tier competition.
The Light Blues will be playing some sort of continental football after the festive season regardless, yet the performance last night was far from acceptable.
Philippe Clement got his team selection all wrong, starting Todd Cantwell on the right wing while persisting with Sam Lammers in an attacking midfield slot, and they lacked any sort of effectiveness in the final third.
The Englishman was even substituted off after just 36 minutes after he failed to follow Clement’s instructions.
The Belgian is managing a squad that he inherited from Michael Beale, yet some of the players are far from good enough to be playing for the Light Blues.
Rangers' 4/10 star let Clement down vs Aris and was worse than Cantwell
Rangers struggled to a 1-1 draw against the Cypriot side last night
ByRoss KilvingtonDec 1, 2023
With the January transfer window fast approaching, the 49-year-old has the chance to move on a few players who don’t fit into his tactical system, while also trying to bring in a fresh face or two in order to bolster the squad.
Rangers transfer news – Ahmed Hegazy
According to TEAMtalk, Rangers have been offered the opportunity to sign Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazy from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad during the January transfer window.
They aren’t the only club to be given the opportunity to secure a deal for the 32-year-old, however, as Old Firm rivals Celtic may also be keen, but there could be interest from south of the border which derails any potential plans.
The likes of Burnley, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Cardiff are all keen on bringing the veteran back to England after he ended his spell at West Bromwich Albion in 2020 to move to the Middle East.
It remains to be seen what budget Clement will be able to utilise in the winter window and this could be determined by player sales. If he manages to raise a few million, this could be spent on new arrivals.
Hegazy, however, might not cost a penny, with the report indicating that he could be allowed to depart on a free transfer.
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Although the Light Blues have five central defenders in their first-team squad, adding the former West Brom gem could be a shrewd acquisition and his experience could lead to him being just like Leon Balogun.
Leon Balogun’s season in numbers
The 35-year-old returned to Rangers during the summer for a second spell having played for the Light Blues between 2020 and 2022.
During his first stint, the Nigerian won the Premiership and Scottish Cup while helping the Gers reach the Europa League final during his second season.
Overall, he played 65 times for the club and was released by Giovanni van Bronckhorst at the end of the 2021/22 season, yet it didn’t take long for him to arrive back north of the border.
Beale secured his signature on a one-year deal, and it looked as though he would provide cover for any injury issues, yet he has played more than first anticipated, with Clement utilising his experience.
Balogun actually ranks second across the whole squad with regard to overall Sofascore rating in the league this term (7.48/10), while also ranking sixth for accurate passes per game (56.5) and second for tackles per game (1.8), proving he has been useful when given a chance in the starting XI.
The centre-back has also won a staggering 11.8 total duels per game – a success rate of 75% – and his calming nature at the heart of the defence has been a huge asset to the Gers recently.
He is proving that age is just a number. Could this suggest that if Hegazy joins the club in January, he could follow suit?
Ahmed Hegazy’s career in numbers
Having started off his career in his homeland, the defender ended up joining Fiorentina back in 2012, yet made just four appearances for the Serie A side.
Spells at Perugia and El Ahly led to interest from the Premier League and West Brom subsequently secured his signature and he played in every single one of their matches in the top flight during 2017/18, scoring twice in the process.
Despite relegation, Hegazy stayed with the club, and it wasn’t until 2020 that he moved back to the Middle East, joining Al-Ittihad, while he has gone on to make 80 appearances for the club, winning a Saudi Pro League title and scoring ten times in the process – a solid return for a central defender.
The 6 foot 3 titan was praised by his Nacer Chadli during their time at West Brom together, with the winger saying: “He is very strong in the air, and he has good skills. He is intelligent and can be very dangerous and can score goals.”
A goalscoring centre-back could offer a lot to Clement and, while he has missed 12 games for the club since suffering a cruciate ligament tear in June, he could well be fully recovered by the time the winter window opens in just a few weeks.
While he may not be an undisputed starter should the 32-year-old move to Glasgow, his experience could lead him to becoming a smart signing, similar to that of Balogun in the summer.
The Light Blues also have their eye on young centre-back Nathaniel Adjei, who is currently playing for Swedish side Hammarby.
The 21-year-old may well be the better option due to his long-term potential and the fact he will continue to get better with age, thus meaning the club could perhaps sell him on in the future for a solid profit.
That being said, the Swedish outfit are demanding a fee of between £3m-£4m if any club wishes to sign him and this might not be attainable for the Light Blues in January.
This could suggest a move for Hegazy may be the smarter option, especially in the short term, and he could add some experience into the squad – as Balogun has done before him.