Rangers on a budget: Asda bargains for Ibrox as days of Harrods shopping sprees are gone

Fulham accepted their 3 million bid for Northern Ireland midfielder Steven Davis and, although no-one knew it at the time, in so doing they effectively emptied Rangers, whose cupboard (although not their trophy cabinet) has been bare ever since.

That, however, will change this summer, whether or not Rangers are bought over by Andrew Ellis and his chums or any other equally unlikely consortium.

Manager Walter Smith expects to end their 22-month transfer drought next month but is as yet unclear as to the size of the budget.

The years when Sir David Murray's financial doping saw Rangers managers shopping at Harrods are gone and Smith knows it. Even so, as he prepares to blow the dust off the club's cheque book, he remains unsure as to whether he'll be shopping at Aldi or Asda.

"We'll be able to bring players in regardless of what happens," said the 62-year-old. "The problem we have at the moment, though, is what level of player we can bring in.

"We need to sign quite a few: it's just not possible for us to go another season without adding to the squad.

"If there is a new owner and investment in the club then we've been looking at players we could target with that budget. However, even if that doesn't happen and the future isn't looking quite so bright we must still bring in new faces.

"There are six players out of contract at the end of the season. We won't lose all of them but we will lose a few and we need to at least replace them: my problem is that we also need to add more on top of that."

Rangers will be presented with the championship trophy (their 53rd) before this afternoon's home match against Motherwell.

Full-back Steven Whittaker will savour the experience but he anticipates the comings and goings this summer with an element of trepidation.

"For the last two years we've had the same manager and the same players and we've been successful," he said. "Now there will be changes (but] change is inevitable at every club and it's how you adapt to new situations that counts."

Victory today could help Whittaker's former club, Hibernian, pip Motherwell for fourth and a guaranteed place in the Europa League.

"When you win the title with time to spare then the remaining games can become something of a non-event," he said. "However, Motherwell and Hibs are fighting it out for Europe so they could motivate us.

"Whatever happens, we're all staying behind at Ibrox for a party afterwards."

It will, of course, act as a leaving do for some but at least this year Smith knows that there will be arrivals as well as departures.