The new manager could perhaps add to his squad in January to bolster his attacking options.
Glasgow Rangers gave Philippe Clement the perfect start to life at Ibrox as they secured a routine 4-0 win at home in the Scottish Premiership on the weekend.
Hibernian were put to the sword and after just one match, it already looks as though the Belgian is trying to imprint his own tactical style and identity on the pitch, something which Michael Beale failed to do during his final few months in charge.
The victory has certainly begun a new era at the Light Blues and several of the current players will now have clean slates as to impress the 49-year-old tactician and put their teething problems behind them.
This includes the likes of Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers, who have both struggled under the weight of expectations since joining the club in the summer.
They have scored a combined total of five goals and this is not good enough for a club the size of Rangers, especially with the vast sums of money Beale shelled out for them.
With the January transfer window just around the corner, Clement could potentially bulk up his squad by making a few signings and much will depend on the situation the team finds itself in at the current time.
The former Club Brugge manager should consider reigniting a swoop for summer target Michael Olunga, who was linked with a move to Glasgow during the early stages of the window, and he could certainly add some extra firepower to the first team.
Who could Rangers sign in January?
Having lost players such as Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield at the end of last season as their contracts expired, Beale had a major rebuilding job to do ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Back in May, Olunga was attracting attention from Galatasaray as they were looking for a new striker according to reports and his agent had even contacted the Turkish side.
Rangers were also mentioned as being keen on the player and on the surface, it looked like a perfect move. With Morelos leaving, there was a clear need for another centre-forward who could lead the line by himself, while also being clinical in front of goal and the Kenyan ace certainly fitted the bill.
Whether or not Clement revives any interest remains to be seen, yet with Lammers and Dessers failing to show their true talents in the final third, Olunga could be a reliable option.
How good is Michael Olunga?
The 29-year-old marksman has accumulated a wealth of experience over the course of his career across stints in Japan, Sweden, and now in Qatar for Al-Duhail.
His scoring rate for the Qatari side is exceptional, netting 88 goals across just 89 games and this is the type of player who could thrive at Ibrox, especially as he knows where the goal is.
He was heavily praised by his manager, Sabri Lamouchi, back in 2021 for a performance in the AFC Champions League where he netted a hattrick, saying: “Olunga deserves, of course, to be the man of the match.
“He’s a special player and his presence has helped us have a lot of attacking options.”
His ability to perform on the highest stage was evidenced by his displays in the AFC Champions League during 2022. He played eight games and managed to find the back of the net on six occasions, scoring every 117 minutes.
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The 6 foot 2 goal machine took 3.9 shots per game and showed an eagerness to score as much as possible. With the Gers having to go a season without the goals and aggressiveness of Morelos for the first time since 2016/17, the Kenyan international could be an ideal replacement for the Colombian.
What happened to Alfredo Morelos?
Once a key figure at Ibrox, Morelos’ influence had waned by the time he left following the conclusion of last term, yet his presence is still missed, no doubt about it.
Over the course of his Gers career, the striker ended up scoring 124 goals across just 269 appearances for the Glasgow side and was a thorn in the side of many a team in Scotland and on the continent.
Indeed, his legacy perhaps stretches to that of becoming a cult hero for the club and his tally of 29 European goals is the best in their history.
He eclipsed Ally McCoist’s tally of 21 goals back in November 2020 and there is no doubt that when in his prime, Morelos was a striker capable of doing everything.
His final season was rather inconsistent, however, as he started only 23 matches as the forward was recovering from an injury which ruled him out of the final few weeks of 2022/23 – meaning he missed the Europa League and Scottish Cup finals.
Subsequently, Morelos scored only 12 times across all competitions due to the stop-start nature of his final season in Scotland, and it appeared that parting ways was the best move for all parties.
The striker is currently at Brazilian side Santos and none of the new arrivals look like they have the capabilities to be an ideal heir for the 27-year-old it must be said.
There is still time of course and once Danilo gets a solid run in the starting XI, he could go on a scoring run, but much will depend on the system Clement uses.
Taking another look at Olunga could be extremely beneficial and give Rangers another attacking option. He has similar strengths to Morelos, most notably being able to hold up the ball well while also being strong in the air, and these qualities could endear him to the supporters as a perfect heir to the former Gers star.
The Belgian coach may not get much of a budget during January due to the Ibrox side failing to qualify for the Champions League along with their major expenditure during the summer, yet there is no harm in potentially making a move for the 29-year-old gem in the coming months to bolster their attacking options.
Securing wins over his next few games will give Clement plenty of credit in the bank and this could spur on a new era in Glasgow, and if Olunga manages to replace the goals and presence of Morelos, the Colombian could be a thing of the past.
