What do Rangers need in this transfer window? It’s probably an easy question in all honesty.

The answer is quality.

Prioritising exactly where he needs that quality to arrive is Philippe Clement’s biggest conundrum because a case could be made for nearly every position. The task is to ensure the key positions are addressed.

In this writer’s opinion, Rangers need a pure goalscorer. Someone who will take chances to turn a draw into a win at Pittodrie and be ruthless when clean through on goal at Parkhead.

The difficulty? That type of player isn’t cheap or easy to find.

The summer window has been heralded as a disaster by many but on closer inspection that’s not really fair. The problem? It has been a disaster on the basis of money spent.

READ MORE: The inside story of Rangers' transfer window: Cifuentes pursuit and Danilo fee

What do I mean by that? Well, Jack Butland is a qualified success, a brilliant Bosman signing who has added value to our squad and already won numerous points. Dujon Sterling is beginning to perform well and has shown huge promise in midfield. 

Leon Balogun has improved the defence and become a first pick. His red card in the Old Firm aside, Balogun’s been a good addition overall. Kieran Dowell started slowly but has enjoyed a few good weeks in the middle of the park. It’s too early to judge his arrival but it looks as though Rangers have a player there.

Abdallah Sima has made a huge contribution with 15 goals to date. As far as loan signings go, the Senegalese attacker is right up there.

That’s five signings that have been a success or, at the very least, have promise. Here’s where we run into more problems - and big ones at that.

It’s in the positions we spent money this summer that there have been failures. For a club like Rangers when you spend it has to work out. Jose Cifuentes arrived for a small sum and could well be a success at the club in time, even if his start has been up and down. The reported outlays for Danilo, Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, £6million, £4.5m and £3.5, have not delivered anything close to the impact expected.

Lammers has flopped badly and while Dessers has contributed in moments, like that stunning goal against Real Betis, he’s not performed in the big moments. That miss against Celtic, or failure to even take a shot, sticks in the mind. Although he’s a likeable guy who works hard, you simply need to be able to decide matches to be a No.9 at Ibrox. Danilo has a lot more about him. However, can we say on his appearances to date that he’s a more incisive finisher who’ll score the goals needed to win a league title? Regardless, it's unlikely we find that out this season given his injury.

That’s too much money which hasn’t solved Rangers’ efficiency issue at the top end of the pitch. It played a big part in Beale’s downfall and the now-departed Chief Scout John Park.

READ MORE: The two factors that enabled Ridvan Yilmaz's 'best performance yet' for Rangers

When we spend money it simply has to be a success. Here’s the bigger problem, Rangers probably need to move on Lammers and Dessers in a bid to recoup as much money as possible, but who’s going to pay for them? Both have had their moments and Dessers’ goal contribution numbers are solid enough. However, neither player has the confidence of the support overall. 

That’s the challenge for Philippe Clement. I’d imagine for players to come in, others will have to leave. Having already admitted that this squad is imbalanced, the manager must find solutions in the January transfer window. Smart moves, like securing Fabio Silva on loan, should hopefully grant a talented player the platform to shine.

We need goalscorers with conviction who can be the difference-makers when it matters.

If that means taking a player from the current squad and selling them to provide funds, that’s the challenge for Nils Koppen as the club’s new Director of Football Recruitment.

Rangers have already been linked with several players but Silva arrived without any noise. Make no mistake, adding more quality could well be the difference between whether Rangers finish first or second this season. Clement has managed a tricky situation into a position of promise. Only recruitment can allow the manager to properly kick on this season.

I’d like another striker who can really take a chance. If he's Scottish, called Lawrence Shankland and has supported the club all his life then even better.

Over to you Rangers, but we can’t afford any more expensive mistakes. Recruitment must be clever and maximise the notoriously difficult January window. We can't afford this summer's mistakes to play out over winter.