Premiership giants Rangers will be entering the upcoming Scottish League season hoping to finally trump Celtic to the title at the end. Another Hoops win would mean that they secure an unprecedented tenth straight league title, and Gerrard will be eager to make sure that doesn’t happen on his watch. To this effect, the Gers are sure to try and address some of the weak-links within the squad, and one of the most prominent ones have undoubtedly been in central midfield.
The Ibrox club have been on the search for midfield players for a while now, and they have been linked with two names in that department. A report by ESPN Deportes, as has been clarified by the Daily Record, has linked the Gers with Feyenoord midfielder Renato Tapia. At the same time, the Scottish Sun exclusively revealed that they were also keeping tabs on Lewis Ferguson – a player with extremely deep-lying connections to the Glasgow club. While Rangers have been linked to Renato Tapia and Lewis Ferguson, Gerrard would have to make the call over which one of them would be the better fit.
What Is The Gers’ Current Midfield Situation?
Going into the Premiership campaign, Gerrard would’ve likely thought that he has an abundance of options in the middle of the park, but as it turned out, things weren’t going to be as easy as they seemed. Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara were the preferred options, to begin with, and while Jack has been able to maintain a certain level of consistency, Kamara struggled to live up to the hype from the last term.
While some will argue that Steven Davis and Scott Arfield are also available, the fact that they are both past 30 now will be a concern. With Andy Halliday’s departure now made official, the addition of a proper box-to-box midfielder could aid their cause in the long run.
Rangers Have Been Linked To Renato Tapia And Lewis Ferguson: What Will They Offer?
Lewis Ferguson
Nephew of Rangers legend Barry Ferguson, the Aberdeen man has been in fine form all through the current league season and would tick a lot of Gerrard’s boxes. Still only 20-years-old, the Scot offers an excellent balance of defending and attacking, while he can also be deployed in one of the advanced roles if required. As good as the youngster is in the defensive phase, it’s worth considering that he really comes into his own when going forward, while he also possesses excellent finishing abilities.
Renato Tapia
The Peruvian international holding midfielder is a much more defensive minded player. Given the situation in the Rangers squad at the moment, that would undoubtedly be a better option for Gerrard. The recent acquisition of Ianis Hagi from the Belgian league will likely eradicate any need for more attacking firepower in the Rangers’ midfield line, thereby leaving room for a slightly more secure defensive one. Tapia is also capable of filling in at centre-half if required, and that will be seen as a massive blessing by the Gers’ gaffer.
The Verdict
Given the condition of Gerrard’s squad at this point, it’s evident that the addition of a solid defensive-midfielder is what this Rangers side have been calling out for. Moreover, Ferguson would likely cost the Gers a considerable amount of money to acquire as well, and in the current football market, that might not be the most motivating sign. The option to sign a 24-year-old holding midfielder in Tapia at the end of the season, that too on a free transfer, could prove to be too much for Gerrard to pass up on.
