The four centre backs Rangers should be scouting to replace Connor Goldson

Fast forward a few months, and the outlook is different. Rangers have kept just three clean sheets in their opening 13 league games. Goldson’s form has been inconsistent, and his contract is up next summer, and his form is inconsistent. Helander has played just three league games due to injury. Balogun’s contract, like Goldson’s, expires next year.

Over the next few weeks, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will get a feel for his side. Through matches and training sessions, he will develop an understanding of what he needs in the transfer window, be it in January or further down the line. Considering the defensive problems Rangers have had, centre-back must be an area of priority. Here are four players the club could consider to solve the problem.

OUMAR GONZALEZ

Oumar Gonzalez is a 23-year-old, right-footed centre-back currently plying his trade in the French second division. He came through the famed Metz youth academy and now plays for Ajaccio, who are right in the race for promotion to the top flight. Last summer he was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, though ultimately he stayed in France at the expiration of his contract with Chambly.

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Gonzalez possesses that rare combination of being both physically strong, quick, and good in the air. Standing at 6ft 1in, he isn’t as tall as Rangers’ existing centre-back options, though he does boast an aerial win percentage higher than Goldson and Balogun’s, and has two headed goals from corners already this season. He also clears his lines and reads play well to cut out attacks with interceptions.

There will be no Goldson-esque diagonals with Gonzalez, and he mostly distributes to the nearest available teammate. However, he is effective at running the ball forward himself, with a quick burst to exploit space (see above). There are no certainties in scouting, and Gonzalez’s aerial ability would be tested to the limit in Scotland, but I think he’s someone worth keeping an eye on.

MICHAL HELIK

Michal Helik is a 26-year-old, right-footed centre-back who plays for Barnsley in the English Championship. The Tykes signed him for a fee of under £1 million last September, from Cracovia. In his debut campaign at Oakwell he won the club’s Player of the Season award. His form also earned him caps for Poland, and he was included in their Euro 2020 squad.

At Barnsley, Helik usually plays at the heart of a back three. He is physically strong, and a commanding presence in the air at 6ft 3in. Brave and committed, he eats up aerial balls, down the middle or into the box, and puts his body on the line to block shots. He also reads danger well, moving to intercept crosses and defending his front post (see below). However, he does lack pace. This weakness is perhaps partly why he plays at the centre of a back three, where he has a defender either side of him to help cover the channels.

Players like Helander, and previously Davie Weir, have shown that slow feet don’t necessarily define a Rangers defender. But these players benefit from immense awareness of what’s going on around them. Whether Helik is on their level of intelligence remains to be seen, but with form in England’s second-tier and caps for Poland, he is the most qualified centre-back on this list.

NEMANJA MICEVIC

Nemanja Micevic is a 22-year-old, left-footed centre-back playing for Mladost Lucani in the Serbian top division. Capped by his country at Under-21 level, he made his debut for the senior national team in January, albeit as part of an experimental Serbian squad chosen for friendlies with the Dominican Republic and Panama.

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The standout aspect of Micevic’s game is his pace. He is quick to close down or recover on balls over the top, and the same quality helps him in one-versus-one defensive situations. In truth, however, he may rely on it a little too much. He is prone to selling himself, diving in or getting too close and being turned or dribbled past too easily. There is a bit of Jack Simpson about him, in that he is defensively suspect but technically sound. His passing range is good, and he can fire the ball accurately through the lines into the feet of an attacker.

Capable in the air and a great athlete, Micevic has raw potential. He wouldn’t be an immediate solution for Rangers, but he could be someone to bring in during the January window and develop over time. He could certainly learn from Helander when it comes to one-versus-one defending.

JOHN SOUTTAR

John Souttar is a 25-year-old, right-footed centre-back playing for Hearts. Having broken through at Dundee United as a teenager, he already has nine years of top-flight experience under his belt. He also has four caps for Scotland and scored his first goal at international level in the recent win over Denmark.

An excellent passer, Souttar is capable of accurate switches and balls over the top. Having spent some time in midfield towards the end of his Dundee United days, he also retains his composure and control under pressure (see below), and is comfortable running the ball forward when space is given. He isn’t afraid to get stuck in, either. While not necessarily dominant, he is good in the air, strong, and reasonably fast. The main issue is his injury record.

He was out of action for most of the last two seasons, missing over 70 games for Hearts. Goldson, by contrast, has been out for a matter of days in the three-and-a-half years since he joined Rangers. Nonetheless, Souttar is arguably the finest ball-playing centre-back Scotland has produced in decades. He has a huge amount of experience but remains young enough to improve, and he’s out of contract next summer. In short, he’s an obvious target for Rangers.