Celtic have been successful in the transfer market with Rangers holding a new leader in their recruitment department
Rangers have been urged to make a transfer move straight out the Celtic playbook by one pundit.
Kevin Thelwell is coming into Ibrox this summer as sporting director amid a proposed takeover by 49ers Enterprises. He is set to “assume overall responsibility for all areas of the football operation” with recruitment likely to be a key focus alongside technical director Nils Koppen, having worked on transfers in a previous role with Everton.
One player Rangers have been linked with is Dundee’s Josh Mulligan. Having signed Connor Barron from Aberdeen, last summer, it would be another Scottish talent added to their core with Lyall Cameron already signed up from the Dens Park side ahead of next term. For Jamie Murphy, it would be similar to what Celtic have done in the past. Mulligan is primarily a right-back but can play other positions across the pitch.
Rangers borrow from Celtic plan
Greg Taylor has moulded himself into a key Hoops player since joining from Kilmarnock and boss Brendan Rodgers is desperate to keep him beyond his contract expiry this summer. Ex Ibrox attacker Murphy believes that Celtic deal can be a template for Thelwell and co to look at when it comes to scouring the likes of Mulligan in the domestic market.
He told Go Radio: “I think he’s a really good player. He’s one that they probably should be looking at. And I think probably the best example of the old firm taking a player from the SPL and being successful is probably Greg Taylor. I think Celtic took Greg Taylor from Kilmarnock and he’s come in and he’s been excellent for them for the last four or five years, however long it is.
So I think that’s what Rangers will be looking to do. I don’t think it’s the wrong thing to be looking at Scottish players in Scotland coming up, working hard, trying to get them into Rangers, whether they’re starters or not. That depends on how well they do, but to give them the opportunity, certainly.”
Thelwell’s Rangers plan
Speaking upon his appointment at Rangers, the former Wolves and current Everton man said to club media, with a nod to recruitment: “This is a huge honour for me to be joining a club with the size, stature and expectations of Rangers. From the first conversations, it was clear to me how ambitious the club is, and I’m excited to play a part in shaping its next chapter.
I know how much Rangers means to so many people, and that brings both responsibility and motivation. Rangers needs to win. That’s the bottom line. There’s a strong foundation already in place, and I look forward to working closely with the teams across the men’s, women’s and academy programmes to build something that delivers consistently.
Of course, there’s important work ahead, especially in men’s first-team structure but we’ll approach it with energy and purpose. While change takes time, I’m confident that we can make real progress. I can’t wait to get started.
