Rangers transfer state of the address as signing tag team must show off their signature move – Ibrox analysis

Heavyweight WWE star Drew McIntyre was at Ibrox this week as he was inducted into the Scottish Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The Ayrshire-born grappler and boyhood Bluenose was joined by club legends Lee McCulloch and Mark Hateley, as well as the world’s strongest man Tom Stoltman as he received the honour. But it’s a show of financial muscle that the Rangers faithful are likely to be more interested in seeing as the return of Philippe Clement’s squad to pre-season edges near.

The big Belgian welcomes his players back to training on June 24 and so far there’s only a couple of fresh faces due to be checking in for their day one bleep test at the Rangers Training Centre. But more - and I mean plenty more - are going to be needed if the Light Blues are to have any chance of pinning down rivals Celtic next season.

Clement and his tag team partner, recruitment chief Nils Koppen, are well aware of the need to get a shift on before they get to August, which is shaping up as a proper royal rumble of a month. The Premiership starts on August 3 and Rangers are scheduled to face at least three league games in the first four weeks of the season, as well as a Premier Sports Cup second-round tie that’s pencilled in for the weekend of August 17/18.

But it’s the four hugely important Champions League qualifying clashes amongst all that will be focusing minds as a potential £40million windfall is put on the line. Clearly, the club don’t have a second to waste as they prepare for next season’s domestic and European fights.

Of course, Clement and Koppen know the scale of the task ahead of them. Former PSV scouting expert Koppen has spent the last few months combing through footage of potential targets, assessing their numbers and speaking