Mark Allen nightmare: Rangers endured big howler over gem whose value has soared 208% - opinion

Rangers managed to navigate the January transfer window without losing any of their key first-team players, with the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent remaining at Ibrox.

They did cash in on Nathan Patterson as Premier League side Everton handed them a club-record fee for the youngster, but he was the second-choice at right-back to James Tavernier.

However, they have previously let go of key players and one star they allowed to leave – on deadline day – in 2018 was forward Josh Windass and Rangers endured a big howler over his exit.

Sporting director – at the time – Mark Allen decided to accept a £2.5m bid from Wigan after he produced 18 goals and eight assists in the 2017/18 campaign.

Speaking about his exit later that year, the forward said: “I continued playing out wide, played in the European games, got to deadline day and I got a text saying Wigan have had a bid accepted from Rangers of £2.5m and I’m like, ‘accepted, £2.5m?.

“So I messaged the gaffer because I couldn’t find him at the ground and said to him ‘is this true?’ and he just said meet me in the changing room.

“So I went to meet him and had a chat and he’s said ‘you have a decision to make’ and I always wanted to go play in England but in my head I was thinking, ‘I got 26 goals and assists in a team that wasn’t great for Rangers and they’re accepting £2.5m?’

“I’m thinking ‘well if I’m going to play out wide then I’m off’ because if you think you can accept that for a player who has contributed that much in terms of goals and in terms of assists – maybe not always in terms of performances but in terms of numbers then see ye in a bit.”

Allen had a nightmare with this deal for several reasons, with the first being the way the situation was handled –