If Pedro Caixinha is going to enact the change at Ibrox required to compete with Celtic then the upcoming summer transfer window is going to be one of the most important at the club for years.
The gap to where Celtic are right now is vast and the comeback starts when Caixinha is finally given room to manoeuvre in the transfer market at the end of the season.
With resources stretched their limit at Ibrox these days, identifying the players that don’t have a future with Rangers will likely be as important as finding the players that can take them to the next level.
Mark Warburton undoubtedly left his mark on the squad with many signings over the last two years and a priority for Caixinha will be sorting that out.
Rangers arguably need to strengthen in every area of the pitch from back to front so no-one is safe from the upcoming cull.
These are the four Rangers stars that Caixinha should consider axing at the end of the season…
Joe Garner
Joe Garner moved to Rangers for a reported £1.8m. That’s a significant outlay for the club in these times, especially compared to the rest of out Scottish football outside of Celtic.
The striker has failed to deliver with goals, netting just 7 times across the season despite starting more games than other strikers at the club like Martyn Waghorn.
If the club move to sell him this summer they would at least recoup some of their outlay on the former Preston North End man and be able to reinvest it into the team.
They can’t risk another season of poor performances and minimal goals, despite the player becoming a cult hero with fans.
Harry Forrester
Harry Forrester has failed to make the step up to the Scottish Premiership from the Championship in the manner Rangers fans would have hoped, failing to get a regular start at Ibrox so far this season.
While he does feature often from the bench and does chip in with the odd goal now and again, Rangers are unlikely to see major first team benefits from having him hang around.
At 26, there’s not much scope for improvement either and surely the Gers would benefit more from trying to blood through some youngsters in the position.
Rangers need to divert their resources into a core group of players that are able to start games and perform consistently. With another 2 years left on his contract at the end of the season, there’s still a value to be gained from his departure that the club should explore.
Rob Kiernan
Rob Kiernan has been the subject of much ire from Rangers supporters this season after a number of faltering defensive performances have caused the Gers to drop vital points.
With just one year left until his contract runs out from the end of the season, it’s vital that the Gers make the most of the player as an asset, with a future at the heart of their defence unlikely.
He has plenty offer English teams that don’t face the pressure of having to win week-in, week-out but at Rangers he’s just looked capable of the most horrendous mistakes.
Supporters are likely going to want to see an entirely new partnership at Ibrox next season with questions marks around even the likes of Danny Wilson.
Kiernan is probably the most expendable though and has enough experience down South that a club may just take a nibble on him if up for sale.
Philippe Senderos
Philippe Senderos’ season at Rangers has been an unquestionable disaster. Making just four appearances for the club, he never really recovered from a calamitous performance against Celtic on his debut.
It set the tone for a season where he’s struggled to get into the first team and when he does, not looking up to much.
Luckily this may be an easy decision for Pedro Caixinha, with Senderos’ contract up at the end of the season, all he needs to say is no thanks and send him on his way.
He’ll be a player Rangers fans look back on in years to come and think, “what was that all about?”