The transfer trap Rangers must avoid in summer window

We blew it, it’s simple as that. There’s no hard luck story from me but there is, at least, positive signs that we are on the right track.

I’ve long said Michael Beale is getting the most out of this squad. Tactically, the set-up on Saturday was spot on. This result wasn’t on the manager, it was all about execution.

Don’t get me wrong, we were absolutely hard done by to see a legitimate Alfredo Morelos goal chalked off, but it was our own mistakes that cost us.

Defensive errors were costly and our attack looked as bland as ever. The main difference between the sides? Our mistakes were punished while we let Celtic away with theirs. They’re much more clinical as a side at the moment.

This isn’t a new theme. Even when we’ve dominated at places like Easter Road, Tynecastle and Fir Park scoring three or four, we’ve still come away saying we should have got more. Perhaps it's time to realise Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos aren’t the players they once were and concede that change is required for every party.

The jury also remains out on Ben Davies who I’ve criticised before. Can he defend as we need him to? The League Cup Final and Saturday both offer evidence to the contrary.

On a more positive note, the midfield looked good, our pressing was on point and Celtic were generally limited from creating opportunities. The issue was that we handed them the game. Don’t get me wrong, they deserved to win because they were clinical - but we gave them far too much of a helping hand.

That’s the difference. Despite an apparent gap, it comes down to the boxes. Rangers must recruit players to fill that void this summer.

Under Beale, we’re on the right track but the Scottish Cup and summer transfer window are two huge moments. We have to win at Hampden, nearly won’t cut it.

Elsewhere, the subsidiary accounts were released this week and while there wasn’t much new information included, transfer outlays and New Edmiston House have been subsequent talking points.

Edmiston House is now going to cost over £12million to complete, around £3-4m over budget if original forecasts are to be believed. That’s likely due in part to the rising costs we've all experienced in the past couple of years. 

As a result, the part sale of the car park across from the stadium has not materialised as quickly as expected.

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Rangers could not have paused and left the building derelict or partly built, it would have looked atrocious. I do think it’s fair to question if the board would've pressed ahead with the plan had they known the eventual costs involved.

However, the projected income will help raise millions to spend in the years to come. It’s fair to question the cost while also realising the value of this project.

Positively, we now have an asset source and regular income flow which will stand us in very good stead, as well as a top-class facility. I appreciate this may not be everyone’s view but it's mine, which holds the same value as any.

Moving on, we now know Rangers spent more on transfer business and managerial change than what arrived from the sales of Cedric Itten, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo. That’s not counting the whole of those transfer incomes but rather, what was immediately received, in the region of £19m.

This does provide other questions. It shows that the club clearly have spent the available transfer kitty and suggests Edmiston House hasn’t impacted that outlay.

But it also shows Rangers have not used their resources as well as they possibly could. Value from last season’s summer is arguably not there when you consider the significant sums spent on Ben Davies, Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo.

We don’t have a huge budget so when we spend, it needs to count - as the recent, excellent-looking, acquisitions of Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin prove.

That's why criticism of Ross Wilson has been so harsh. While he’s acquired strong fees for the sales of Bassey and Patterson, the recruitment side has been less impressive.

It goes without saying that value for money must be better this summer. Only recruitment will help Beale bridge the gap this current squad cannot.

There is no room for sentiment, there is no room to feel sorry for ourselves. We must get it right on and off the field quickly, and long before a vital summer provides a chance to strike back.