Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has warned supporters to expect a hectic closing stage to the summer transfer window, while conceding that results on the pitch are not yet matching the club’s ambitions.
Speaking at an open forum in Glasgow and also addressing shareholders, Cavenagh said he expects “three to five” further players to arrive before the window shuts. He added that a number of departures could also happen, as recruitment plans are adjusted in response to early-season realities.
Cavenagh’s comments come after a difficult start for the Ibrox side under new manager Derek McInnes. Rangers have already brought in nine new faces this summer, but currently sit with only one point after their first two Scottish Premiership games since McInnes took charge.
In the same update, Rangers’ executive acknowledged that the early stages of the transfer window have not run smoothly. Cavenagh described the business so far as “clunky,” while stressing that work continues behind the scenes to improve the squad and deliver the performances the club expects.
While Rangers’ recruitment push is clearly continuing, the wider context is that the team’s summer activity is happening alongside competitive commitments in Europe. The club are involved in the Europa League third qualifying round, where they face an uphill task after trailing Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok 2-1 following the first leg.
That European situation underlines the pressure on Rangers to strengthen promptly, not only for domestic league aims but also to ensure they can respond quickly if the tie requires tactical and personnel changes. With further additions still anticipated, the club’s next transfer decisions could have a direct impact on both the league and Europe.
The chairman’s language suggests Rangers will not simply stop once the current recruitment wave is completed. Instead, he indicated that the final stretch could bring multiple arrivals, even after the nine signings already made. Cavenagh’s “three to five” figure also points to a potentially targeted approach, implying that specific gaps in the squad have been identified since the season began.
Rangers’ overall summer picture therefore remains a work in progress: new players have been introduced, but the early league return suggests they have not yet had the full desired effect on match outcomes. Cavenagh’s remarks, particularly his admission that he does not like the results so far, indicate an awareness at the top of the club that supporters will want faster improvement than the opening games have delivered.
As shareholders heard from club officials, the message was that further recruitment is planned. Sky Sports reported that Ibrox chiefs met shareholders amid what was described as a difficult start, with Rangers aiming to add three to five more signings this summer while Derek McInnes was yet to secure a win as manager at that stage. That meeting, according to the same report, framed recruitment as a key part of Rangers’ response to the early struggles on the pitch. Sky Sports
The scale of the planned activity is notable, especially considering that Rangers have already completed nine additions. The Sky Sports piece also referenced the identity of one of those recruits, noting Daisuke Yokota as part of the group brought in so far, while outlining that at least some setbacks have occurred around matchday availability.
There has also been disruption due to injuries and transfer-feed developments. The Sky Sports report stated that Youssef Chermiti was injured in a defeat to Hibs, hours after news that a bid had been rejected for the striker. That sequence illustrates how quickly Rangers’ situation can shift, and why Cavenagh’s suggestion that both arrivals and departures are possible fits with the fluid nature of the final weeks of the window. Sky Sports
BBC Sport’s account of Cavenagh’s comments likewise points to a club prepared for movement in both directions. It reported that the chairman expects up to five more players to come in while also indicating that “a number will possibly go out,” reflecting a balancing act between squad size, wages, and the need to integrate new personnel effectively before important fixtures pile up.
BBC Sport further described the chairman’s sense that there is work still required for Rangers to reach the standards they expect. In Glasgow, Cavenagh said “there’s certainly work to be done,” adding that he hoped recruitment would deliver additional reinforcements within the remaining window timeframe. BBC Sport
The transfer strategy Rangers appear to be pursuing is therefore not simply about adding numbers. After nine signings, the expectation of several more suggests that either the coaching staff has identified further needs, or that the squad may need reconfiguration to enhance performance and balance.
Whether the expected arrivals can quickly translate into better results will be the central question for Rangers supporters in the coming weeks. With just one point from two Premiership matches under McInnes at the time of Cavenagh’s remarks, the club’s next league fixtures will provide an early test of whether recruitment can resolve issues on the field.
There is also the immediate European context: with the club trailing 2-1 after the first leg against Jagiellonia Bialystok, time is limited. Any new players secured before the close of the transfer window could be vital in the margins of that tie, where momentum and specific game-changers often decide outcomes.
For now, Cavenagh has made clear that the club’s summer story is not finished. Up to five more signings are anticipated, alongside the possibility of some departures, as Rangers attempt to correct course after a slow start and a challenging European position.
As the window approaches its deadline, the chairman’s comments set expectations that the final phase of recruitment will be more significant than the period already completed—an admission that the club’s recruitment “clunkiness” must ultimately yield to results. BBC Sport
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