The Sports Guru
Rangers spent the summer adding central midfielders to a group that was already crowded before a single signing arrived. This article works out how many players are genuinely competing for the same jobs, and why one former Ibrox midfielder thinks the numbers matter less than what those players can actually do on the ball.
Cammy Devlin's grin gave it away. Asked whether he expected to walk straight into Rangers' starting eleven after his free transfer from Hearts, the Australia international could not quite suppress the smile that says: not a chance. He has good reason. Rangers already had nine central midfielders on their books before Devlin, Dan Neil and Vanja Dragojevic signed this summer, and new manager Derek McInnes now has a central midfield room so full that the debate has shifted from who to sign to who even plays.
A squad built by addition, not subtraction
Of Rangers' seven summer signings, three are central midfielders. None of their 11 departures were. By the club's own numbers before this window opened, six central midfielders were already on the books, rising to nine once Jose Cifuentes, Lyall Cameron and 20-year-old Paul Nsio returned from loans at Toronto, Aberdeen and Raith Rovers respectively. Add Devlin, Neil and Dragojevic and, by our count from those same figures, McInnes could have as many as a dozen central midfielders jostling for places heading into the Dundee United opener on Friday, allowing for the returning loanees not all being ready to compete at first-team level.
Who's actually fighting for Devlin's job
Not everyone on that list is a rival. Thelo Aasgaard and Nedim Bajrami are attacking midfielders rather than defensive ones, and Bajrami has not become a regular starter in two years at Ibrox. Cifuentes, Cameron and Nsio have not suggested, on the evidence of their loan spells, that they are ready to force their way in. Mohamed Diomande is more box-to-box, his form having dipped in his second full season. That narrows the genuine competition for a holding role to Devlin, Connor Barron, Tochi Chukwuani, Neil and Dragojevic, plus Nicolas Raskin, who prefers to play just in front of the defence despite being used further forward last season.
The Raskin question hanging over everything
Raskin's World Cup form for Belgium reportedly drew rave reviews in the deeper role, and the player has expressed his own desire to move to a top-five league. That makes his Ibrox future the least secure of any specialist midfielder at the club, and it goes some way to explaining McInnes's rush to bring in Devlin on a free transfer as cover. Rangers are also still linked with Sturm Graz's Ryan Fosso and had reported bids rejected by Tromso for the more attack-minded Jens Hjerto-Dahl, suggesting the club is hedging against Raskin's departure rather than simply stockpiling.
Halliday's warning: bodies aren't the problem
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday, speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound, argues the summer spending has not actually fixed anything. "They are all very much in the same mould, dogged out of possession, tidy players," he said of the current group, adding that none of them can dictate a game or create chances. His conclusion is that quantity has been mistaken for quality, and that McInnes still needs "the next three or four signings" to add what he called stardust. Devlin, for his part, seems to accept the scrutiny as the price of the move. "It's normal to be linked with good players that are costing a lot of money," he said, when asked whether he was surprised Rangers kept being linked with more midfielders.
McInnes sees it differently
Speaking after Sunday's goalless pre-season draw with West Ham, in which Devlin anchored the midfield behind Diomande and Aasgaard, McInnes suggested the glut is actually a strength rather than a problem to solve. "The one area of the pitch we are really strong is through the middle of the park just now," he said, indicating any further recruitment before Friday is more likely to target a winger to supply his strikers than another midfielder. Whether that view survives contact with the Premiership season, or whether Halliday's creativity concern resurfaces once Raskin departs, is the question Rangers' crowded engine room has yet to answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Three of Rangers' seven summer signings are central midfielders: Cammy Devlin, Dan Neil and Vanja Dragojevic.
Six were already on the books, rising to nine once three players returned from loan spells at Toronto, Aberdeen and Raith Rovers.
Raskin has reportedly received strong reviews for his World Cup form and has expressed a desire to move to a top-five league, making a summer exit increasingly likely.
Halliday said the current midfield group is dogged and tidy but lacks players who can create chances or score goals, and expects further signings.
McInnes indicated after the West Ham friendly that midfield is Rangers' strongest area, suggesting any further business before the season opener is more likely to involve a winger.
Research: This article uses the archived evidence supplied for this story. Story inspiration: BBC Sport's original report.