Arne Slot already has plans in place for the January transfer window (Credits: Imago Images)
Rangers wrapped up a busy summer transfer window with three significant pieces of business completed on and around deadline day at Ibrox.
The club secured the signing of 21-year-old striker Youssef Chermiti from Everton for an undisclosed fee, with the young forward penning a four-year contract in Glasgow.
Chermiti’s move had been in the works for some time, with the deal expected to be finalised on Monday as the window drew to a close.
Alongside the striker’s arrival, Rangers also confirmed the sale of Cyriel Dessers, who departed for Greek outfit Panathinaikos as part of the club’s ongoing squad restructuring.
The third piece of business saw Rangers add defensive reinforcement in the form of Canadian centre-back Derek Cornelius, who joined on loan from Marseille with an option to buy at the end of the season.
Cornelius, 27, had come off the bench in Marseille’s 1-0 defeat against Lyon the night before his move to Rangers was confirmed, underlining the speed at which the deal was concluded.
The need for defensive cover had been clear at Ibrox, with Rangers operating with only three senior centre-back options heading into the final stages of the window.
The left-sided defender, formerly of Malmö, represented a solution Rangers had been pursuing, with negotiations centring on the terms of a permanent arrangement or a loan with an obligation to buy.
The Cornelius deal was not expected to be as advanced as the Chermiti transfer, though progress was made throughout deadline day to get the move across the line.
Bojan Miovski had also been added to the squad on Saturday, following Hamza Igamane’s protracted move to Lille, giving Rangers a significantly reshaped attacking unit heading into the second half of the season.
The summer as a whole represented a third successive period of substantial rebuilding at the club, with 11 additions made across the window in total.
Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell oversaw the recruitment drive, which ultimately delivered new options in attack and defence while trimming the wage bill through outgoing deals.
Chermiti’s four-year deal signals a long-term commitment from the club to developing the young striker as a key part of their forward plans moving forward.
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