Cammy Devlin became the sixth Rangers arrival of the summer window on Saturday as the countdown to the new campaign continues.
Rangers are in Spain until Friday and will play in a behind-closed-doors friendly this evening. Devlin hasn't yet flown out to join the group, given his involvement in the World Cup with Australia delays a return to club football like new Croatian goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
Speaking about his side's business so far from the club's pre-season base in Spain, Derek McInnes said: "I think we're having good discussions with the recruitment team. We're all kind of singing from the same page, really, about the areas of the team that we need to strengthen. So probably still a good bit of work to do without putting a number on it.
"Really pleased with the work that's been done. I think everyone deserves some credit for that. But on the same token, it's not enough yet. We've still got work to do and we're well aware that we need to be as ready as we can be. Ideally, we'd be as ready as we could be for the first game proper against Dundee United.
"But there's not a team in the country that will be as ready as they want to be for that. And the squad that it looks like now, to the squad that it looks like when the window closes, I think will be a wee bit different."
Devlin joins Lawrence Shankland, Dan Neil, Ben Godfrey, Ross McCrorie and Ivor Pandur as new arrivals
As previously reported, the transfer process under McInnes' tenure has not deviated from the one Danny Rohl worked under throughout the January window, which was an evolution from the previous summer.
Technical director Dan Purdy, CEO Jim Gillespie and McInnes work closely with performance director Stig Inge Bjornebye and 49ers technical director Gretar Steinsson.
There has been a slight tactical deviation in some areas of recruitment - for example, McInnes wants wingers who hold width while Rohl favoured inside forwards, playing more of a 4-4-1-1 than a 4-2-2-2 - but the general overview in terms of positions and profiles has remained the same: Rangers need a new core, fresh leadership and an injection of quality in outlined areas. That's resulted in the continuation of some targets - like Godfrey, Shankland, Neil and Pandur - and acceleration of others - like McCrorie and Devlin.
As previously reported by the Rangers Review, the working number of incomings the club are understood to be targetting this summer is in the ballpark of 10 rather than 15, depending on outgoings. That could change if some sales were to follow, but the volume in the door is not expected to match last summer's total of 14.
Attention will increasingly turn to outgoings as the window progresses. As reported on Saturday, Danilo and John Souttar both remained in Scotland instead of joining their teammates in Spain amid likely transfer exits. Danilo, who, unlike Souttar, was not expected to travel on pre-season, has interest from South America, the Netherlands and Cyprus. Souttar is believed to be attracting interest from England.
The trimming that still needs to be done to McInnes' options won't stop there in an ideal world. Breathing room is needed to ensure the squad is not bloated when the window closes.
Clinton Nslaia is another who will have to go elsewhere for regular minutes, Nedim Bajrami hasn't held down a regular place in his two years at the club and Lyall Cameron, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aberdeen, falls into a similar category, as does Ross McCausland and the forgotten Jose Cifuentes.
Calum Adamson (18) and Paul Nsio (20) both started the first closed-doors friendly of the season last weekend and are understood to have impressed over the past fortnight, after loan spells with Alloa and Raith last season respectively. Both had previously been earmarked for Scottish Premiership or English loans rather than joining a Championship club on a Cooperation Loan agreement. Callum Burnside, a winger, and Zander Hutton, a right-back, are also at the camp, providing important cover in areas of the squad that are still light.
The Rangers Review understands that a winger, preferably one who can play off the right-hand side, and a left-sided centre-back are viewed as the two main priorities in the coming weeks as starting options are sought in both areas. The market for a left-footed right-winger, like last summer, is understood to be as competitive as ever. Adding quality out wide, though, is viewed as a necessity.
Reports in Turkey of a £6m bid being rejected for Czech winger Vaclav Cerny are understood to be false. Rangers enquired about the availability of their former winger earlier in the summer, a process that applies across a wide range of transfer lists, but the associated wages and Besiktas' desire to keep the player have restricted any developments to that stage.
In midfield, McInnes' squad currently carries six central options. Connor Barron, who is not understood to be on West Ham's radar, joined up with the squad in Spain but is yet to train due to a small knee complaint. Mo Diomande is entering the final two years of his deal, while Tochi Chukwuani arrived in January and Dan Neil only last month, a long-desired No.6 profile who rejected English opportunities to move to Ibrox.
The Rangers Review understands a move for another central midfielder remains on the cards, with a deal for Devlin not blocking the path for one of Jens Hjerto-Dahl and Vanja Dragojevic to arrive. The Rangers Review revealed on Thursday that Tromso want £8.5m for Hjerto-Dahl while Rangers and Partizan remain apart on a valuation for Dragojevic. Ryan Fosso is not being pursued at present.
The future of Nico Raskin is central to determining the balance in that area of the pitch, however. The club is unlikely to carry seven central midfielders and the Belgian has a list of interested parties after a strong World Cup with only two years left on his contract.
Ross McCrorie has already arrived at right-back, while there remains room for a versatile option across both sides of the back four, with another full-back addition under consideration too. Ashton Scally, who made his debut on the final day of last season, is viewed as part of the first-team picture aged 16 but hasn't travelled to Spain due to a small injury complaint.
Rangers beat off competition from Tottenham, Liverpool and Man City to keep Scally in Glasgow, with many internally viewing the defender as the highest-potential player produced by the academy in some time.
Read more:
- Derek McInnes: I know Cammy Devlin as a player and a person - Here is why I signed him for Rangers
- The formation Rangers used in bounce game and McInnes' key change compared to Rohl
Rangers are understood to be comfortable with their current striking positions at present after the addition of Shankland followed Ryan Naderi joining in the January window and Bojan Miovski last summer. Youssef Chermiti will look to kick on following an excellent second half to last season. The Rangers Review understands Lyon made enquiries about the Portuguese forward but the club's valuations were too far apart for a bid to follow.
Allan McGregor has been back in the building for nearly two weeks as Rangers' new goalkeeping coach, replacing the departed Sal Bibbo. The club are believed to be close to appointing a successor for set-piece coach Scott Fry, too, with designated responsibility in that area.
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