No spending spree planned
Alex McLeish has admitted he must still sell before he can buy despite shedding some of his highest earners in the summer. Scottish football has been plunged into recession in the wake of the Scottish Premier League's collapsed television deal and despite remaining the nation's richest club, Rangers have had to rein in their usually spectacular spending. McLeish has made a single expensive purchase in midfielder Mikel Arteta, who cost £6million from Barcelona. He and free transfer from Wolves Kevin Muscat are the only newcomers so far, with spaces having been created by the contract expiry departures of former record signing Andrei Kanchelskis, Tony Vidmar and Scott Wilson. A number of fringe players have also moved on but McLeish admitted his squad was still probably too top heavy. He said:
"We have got a 25-strong pool and Rangers are no different to other clubs in Europe, like those in the German Bundesliga and Italy. The only leagues that seem to be secure at the moment are La Liga and the Premiership in terms of the television rights. So we have to be running with not too many players. It's not a case that we are trying to offload players - it's a lack of money."
Such a statement will do nothing to quell speculation that certain big names could soon be on their way out. Tore Andre Flo, the club's record signing at £12million, was left marooned on the bench for big games last season, fellow strikers Michael Mols and Billy Dodds are also unsure of their status and winger Neil McCann is believed to be interesting Sunderland. McLeish added:
"If teams come and make a bid for any of our players we would have to look at it if it were substantial. We are not a selling club but if it were substantial in the same way that Leeds would not be able to say no to a huge bid from Manchester United for Rio Ferdinand. It's common sense and everyone is thinking along those lines at the moment. We are not saying 'make bids' though and if somebody thinks that one of our players can enhance their team then they are not going to get anybody on the cheap from Rangers. A squad of 25 is a wee bit high and we have a lot of young boys as well."
Despite the scaling down of transfer activity, Rangers have continued to be linked with names from across the globe including players who have caught the eye in the World Cup. McLeish said:
"I have got hundreds of names. Koreans have been put in to us, Japanese have been put in to us and we have been linked with every Tom, Dick and Harry. I wouldn't buy a player just on a World Cup performance if it was for a country that was as much an unknown quantity as the player was. It might be different if it were a Brazilian. I have never been an overnight spender. I have always done a fair bit of homework."
