Glasgow Rangers continued their rapid improvement under Philippe Clement with an excellent 5-0 away victory in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday evening.
Dundee were put to the sword in what was the Gers’ biggest away victory in the league for over two years, with the 6-1 win against Motherwell on 31 October 2021 the last time the side scored five or more away from Ibrox.
It was a confident performance and one that should inspire confidence amongst the supporters, but there is still a long road ahead, and with a League Cup semi-final clash coming up this weekend against Hearts, Clement will be tested once again.
The Belgian has not been able to call on several members of his squad due to injury and this has impacted who he can pick for his starting XI at the current moment in time.
Nicolas Raskin is the latest player to join the treatment table after being stretchered off against Hearts last weekend and with Clement already missing Kemar Roofe and Tom Lawrence, there is still some more quality to come into the starting XI.
The former Club Brugge manager could turn to the January transfer window, however, in order to add some much-needed squad depth to the side.
Rangers’ January transfer plans
Last week, the 49-year-old tactician discussed his plans for the coming months while speaking to the media, saying: "I am here to build the team and make them stronger – that is where my focus lies and not on any external noise.
“We need to work hard in the coming weeks and months to see what we need to do in January. With injuries, you need to find solutions but we had players who were able to step in and that is what I expect.”
Although previous manager Michael Beale spent a lot during the summer transfer window, these comments certainly suggest that Clement may be looking to add an extra body or two to the current squad.
A recent update has emerged from TEAMtalk regarding some transfer news, and it appears as though Rangers are keen on signing Jhon Arias, who plays for Brazilian side Fluminense.
The report claims that the Gers have been keeping tabs on the player, who can play across a multitude of positions, yet they are not the only admirers.
Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Burnley, and Leeds United have also checked Arias recently and his performances have evidently drawn plenty of interest from these clubs, and the Light Blues look set to face significant competition for his signature.
With the money on offer south of the border, it remains to be seen whether or not Clement will able to tempt the Colombian gem to Scotland with a promise of winning trophies and potentially playing in the Champions League, instead of a move to the Premier League.
Jhon Arias’ season in numbers
Throughout the 2023 season for his club, Arias has mainly operated on the right side of the midfield, either as a winger or dropping slightly deeper, yet he has produced some incredible numbers.
Across 53 matches for the Brazilian side, the 26-year-old has registered 22 goal contributions – nine goals and 13 assists – as Fluminense have reached the Copa Libertadores final against Boca Juniors which takes place on Saturday evening.
Indeed, during the continental competition, the winger is currently ranked third across the squad for goals and assists (five) along with ranking second for big chances created (three), first for key passes per game (2.3), and first for successful dribbles per game (3.3), showcasing his attacking talents on the biggest stage of them all.
His performances have powered his club to the final and another solid display against the Argentinian outfit could drive his price tag up further.
However, it remains to be seen how much the 5 foot 6 dynamo will cost and that may not be an issue that Rangers need to worry about until the January transfer window is close to opening for business.
Journalist Fernando Campos hailed Arias as "decisive" earlier this year, and said: “Jhon Arias has been one of the best players in the country since the beginning of last year and we don't talk about that much.”
The right side of the attack has been a weak point for the Gers this term and Clement has had to persist by using Scott Wright, and there is no doubt that the Colombian is a far better option than the former Aberdeen gem.
Scott Wright has an uncertain future at Rangers
It looked as though Wright was ready to depart Rangers during the summer, with a move to Turkish side Pendikspor all but sealed, yet nothing materialised, and he chose to stay and fight for his place.
Despite remaining, the winger has made just four starts all season while failing to score or grab an assist, and his attacking output has been disappointing, to say the least.
0
5
0
3
0.6
3
1
2
1.4
1.6
Indeed, since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, he has played 43 matches, yet managed to register just two assists, a woeful return, and this area of the team needs to vastly improve in the coming months.
Wright has not been able to produce quality shots or passes with regularity at the top end of the pitch and the Gers could now bring in a player with the ability to be a difference-maker.
Since the start of the 2022 campaign, Arias has played 114 matches across all competitions, scoring 25 goals and grabbing 30 assists, clearly indicating how impressive he has been going forwards.
If Clement is serious about challenging for silverware with the Light Blues and making progress in Europe, signing talented players such as Arias is the way to significantly bolster his squad.
The 26-year-old whiz has shone in South America over the previous few years, and it is clear his talent deserves to secure him a move to Europe sooner rather than later.
Players like Wright, who have underperformed since before Beale was brought in as manager, should not still be one of the main attacking options at the club, and it shows how far the Gers have regressed since winning the league in 2021.
Although they face stiff competition to sign the Colombian maestro in the coming months, Clement must act fast in order to convince him that his project at Rangers is interesting enough for him to move to Glasgow.
It would certainly signal a huge statement of intent if they pulled this move off, and it would further speed up Wright’s inevitable exit for the Glasgow side.
Arias' statistics suggest that the talented wizard has the ability to be a significant upgrade on the Scottish dud, if he can translate his form to Scottish football, and that is why the Gers must swoop for his services.
