Rangers transfer news: Derek McInnes talks new signings, possible departures, Lewis Ferguson links and more! | Football News

Rangers manager Derek McInnes says the club are working on making more summer signings after adding five players in the opening weeks of the transfer window.

The Ibrox club have added goalkeeper Ivan Pandur, former player Ross McCrorie, Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland, Dan Neil after his Sunderland contract expired, plus defender Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta.

McInnes says he wants “ready-made” players to help “meet demands” this season but admitted the club may need to be “patient at times” as they navigate the transfer window.

Following Jack Butland’s £3m move to Hull City, McInnes revealed others will depart Ibrox as he shapes his squad ahead of their Scottish Premiership opener at Dundee Utd on July 31, live on Sky Sports.

The former Hearts, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Bristol City and St Johnstone boss also addressed interest in Bologna and Scotland star Lewis Ferguson, plus the future of in-demand midfielder Nicolas Raskin who has impressed with Belgium at the World Cup.

Here is McInnes’ full interview with Sky Sports News…

How have the first couple of weeks gone as Rangers manager?

Yes, good. Obviously, the first week, [there were] a lot of conversations about trying to see how the squad would shape up. The last week’s been great, just getting back into things and obviously getting that introduction to the players here, integrating the new signings.

Obviously, there’s been a lot of good work done by the club, and it’s well documented we’re trying to bring a few more in before the start of the season, if we can.

The pre-season has gone well. It’s there to get the players fit for the full campaign, not just for the first game. The players have been working extremely hard. I feel that pre-season is a necessary evil for players; they’ve got to understand that. It’s got to be that single-mindedness to work through it and be as fit and as strong as you possibly can. The application has been first class, and I’m really enjoying just getting to know everybody in and around the club.

Pleased with the business done already?

Yes, there is good work being done. A lot of these conversations were ongoing ahead of my appointment, but obviously, in meetings with the recruitment team, Jim [Gillespie] and Andrew [Cavenagh], we were clear in what we’re looking for in terms of key positions, and the types of players we want to bring to the club as well.

I think what we have had with the signings is a mixture of all that, but ‘good types’ underpins everything. There are a few players familiar to Scottish football, something we want in the squad, and room for players who are coming to Scotland and Rangers for the first time.

We as a club can give players so much with success and the reward and everything else it comes with. It’s a brilliant club to play for if you’re winning. So, we’ve got a lot that we can sell, but equally, we need players to know what they can bring us.

What we need at this moment in time is ready-made, good types of players in the building, players who train right every day, players who have the right approach, that winning mentality, and that leadership quality that every manager looks for in their team.

Are there other areas you would still like to strengthen?

Yes, there are areas. I’m not going into specifics now, but there are clearly a lot of conversations going on. We’ve got a lot of players in the building at the minute, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the players that are already here. From the outside looking in, you can have a set opinion, but it’s only really working with players day in, day out that you can really forge that opinion better.

There are some players here that are catching the eye already and doing well in training. But there will be a natural progression; there will be players moving out the way to get players in. Streamlining the squad and getting the right number is very important as well – but, as I say, we’re a long way from that. We’re a long way from the end of the window closing.

We want to be as strong as we can for the first game against Dundee United. So, there’s a lot of work to do, both physically, integration of players, getting the players up to match speed, and also a lot of work to do to try and bring players in as quickly as possible. Sometimes you need to wait for the better ones, and we need to just be patient at times, as well as still being forthright in our intentions.

What is the process to appoint a new captain?

James [Tavernier] has moved on now and he’s been the captain here for a long time. It is always something that people get obsessed about, and always will ask you about, but I’m actually quite relaxed about it at the minute.

Obviously, somebody’s got to take the team down the tunnel, and somebody’s got to be the club captain, and it is a big honour for him to be captain of the club, but I’m trying to fill the dressing room with a lot of captains. Then, I’ll have the benefit and the luxury of being able to choose one. At the minute we’re a long way from making that decision. I’d like to think we’re going to get a number of good, viable options who can take that role on.

Confident chairman Andrew Cavenagh and the board will back you to make a marquee signing?

Yes, I think there have been discussions had, and there’s been a lot of encouragement for what we can and can’t do.

For a manager, it’s not always being used to getting everything that you want, and that’s just par for the course – but clearly, I’ve been well-supported. There’s an intention from the board and everybody within the club to try and get the best Rangers squad put together and the best Rangers team on the pitch.

I’ve got an idea of what my Rangers team needs to look like week in, week out, and how I want my Rangers squad to behave and act day in, day out.

We have similar messaging, similar needs and desires about what we’re trying to get, and sometimes it costs money, and sometimes it doesn’t. We are on the same page in the sense about the key positions, the type of players that we want to bring in – but everything has got to be done within a reasonable cost. There is the support there, clearly.

Any discussions between you and the club over a deal to sign Lewis Ferguson?

There’s been loads of discussions about so many players.

All I want to do is bring players who have a high level, technical level, and ability to play for Rangers.

Obviously, there are a number of players that have been linked with us that do possess that. So, I think it would be wrong for me to speak about any player individually.

I understand it’s an obvious link [with Lewis Ferguson], but we have just got to work away and see what we can do and what we can bring into the club.

If it’s clear that we can’t bring people in, then we move on quickly, but I’ve got an idea of the players and the types that I want to bring in, and hopefully we can work towards that.

Are you expecting interest in your players from other clubs? For example, Nicolas Raskin.

Yes, possibly, but these are things that I don’t know, that you can’t control.

The World Cup is a great stage and obviously Nico [Raskin] has done well.

There will be natural progression for a lot of players. A lot of players aren’t going to get guaranteed game time here, and they might be better served going elsewhere to find that, but these discussions are ongoing.

A lot of clubs aren’t even back yet because of the World Cup, so sometimes these things can take a bit longer, and there’s no doubt we’ve got good players here who could be of interest.

How excited are you for your first game and for what is possible here at Rangers?

Everything we do from now to then is geared towards that [first match].

Pre-season serves its purpose, games are important just to build that familiarity and continuity, forging those relationships, and understanding what we’re looking for.

Pre-season results aren’t the most important thing, but what is the most important thing is being as ready as we possibly can be, both physically and tactically for that, and being in the best state possible squad-wise.

We’re trying to get as much done on the training pitch, and off the pitch recruitment-wise, so that we can be ready for that game because that game will be a test, there’s no two ways about it.

It’s a brilliant game, live on Sky Sports and everything that brings with it, so we’re looking forward to that.