Mark Warburton eyes new Rangers signing before Morton clash

Rangers manager Mark Warburton is 'very hopeful' he can bring in a player before Monday's game against Morton - but feels his current squad are more than good enough to win promotion.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton believes the current squad is strong enough if they can't bring in another player. Picture: SNS

Rangers last week had two bids for St Johnstone winger Michael O’Halloran rejected while they continue to be linked with Brentford midfielder Toumani Diagouraga.

Warburton maintained his stance of not talking about specific players but he is optimistic over success ahead of the Cappielow game.

“I’m very hopeful we will do (bring in a player),” he said. “We’re making good progress. If we find the quality that we think improves us then we will make that move, but sometimes to secure that quality takes time.

“The important thing is not to take players for players’ sake. Our squad is more than good enough right now to achieve what we want to achieve.

“It’s really important as a club that we do our homework and determine what we think is the right valuation. We could be wrong but we will determine what we think is the right valuation and stick to that.

“If there’s some small flexibility then that’s up to the owner and the board. But it’s really important to know your market and recognise what represents value. If you can find the value then great but if not then don’t be panicked into buying someone that’s too expensive.”

Rangers have signed wide midfielder Harry Forrester from Doncaster and Polish goalkeeper Maciej Gostomski since the transfer window opened but wingers Tom Walsh and Nathan Oduwa have departed, the former going on loan to Dumbarton.

Warburton said: “The size of squad is lean but we’re lean for a reason. I want everyone to see a pathway into the first team.

“Harry Forrester has come in, Maciej in goal, so we have good cover, but there is no doubt we are lean so if we can add to it we will do.

“We had 19-20 players last week, Nathan goes back and Tom Walsh goes out on loan, so we are tight but I prefer it that way. I want everyone to experience first-team action.

“We have an academy here that’s doing really well, so we can dip into the academy. We have done it before.

“The worst thing for me is to have too many players as opposed to too few.”

The former Brentford manager added: “We are not looking for players just to get us through the next five months. That’s a pointless exercise. Short-term fixes are no good.

“We’re looking for players to come in, adapt to demands placed upon them, embrace those demands, but then also prepare for next season at a higher level, hopefully.”

Oduwa’s season-long loan was cut short at the weekend and Warburton revealed the decision came after continued communication with the wide player’s parent club.

“We work very closely with Tottenham Hotspur,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for the staff and how they operate down there. The relationship between the two clubs is good.

“This is the next stage of Nathan’s education now. He came here and experienced 50,000 crowds and what he had to do on different surfaces and did very well.

“Now it’s a decision between the two clubs to make sure he moves on to the next stage of his education. All parties agreed it was best for Nathan to go back.”

Meanwhile, Warburton played down the prospect of signing Latvia Under-21 forward Vladislavs Gutkovskis following his trial last month.

“We look at a number of players,” he said. “If he’s as good as what we’ve got, then why add to it? It’s important that any player brings us something we don’t currently have.”

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