Russell Martin reveals Rangers transfer needs for Celtic challenge as surplus stars told they can leave

Daily Record

17 hours ago

Martin wants more new faces but insists he doesn't have to get players out the door before more can arrive at Ibrox
Russell Martin admits he needs more new players to have a squad strong enough to compete with Celtic for the title and in Europe.
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Right now, the Rangers boss believes he has a strong first 11 available to him but feels they're still light in certain areas.
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He's already signed seven players this summer but revealed there WILL be more.
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Martin has also told players who are surplus to requirements to find other clubs, including Turkish defender Ridvan Yilmaz who is on his way out and has been linked with a return to Besiktas.
Martin said: 'We still need more players. We need to strengthen a couple of really key areas.
'Mikey helps us a lot because he gives us something we don't have.
'But I still think there will be players leaving and players joining.
'We have to be willing and open for that change. This club has needed it and we must now be patient during it to make sure we get the right ones in.
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'With Ridvan, we've had an honest conversation and he's sizing up his options, there are a couple of clubs interested in him so we'll wait and see what happens.
'I don't think we need players to go out (before getting players in).
'There's a bit of interest in a fair few of them who know that for their careers they probably need to move on to play football.
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' But we've still done deals for Mikey and Djeidi Gassama for instance.
'By the end of the window, we definitely can't have them all in here.
'But I don't think it's a case of having to wait or saying we need them to go first.
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Ahead of the trip to Motherwell on Saturday, Martin revealed that injured duo Thelo Aasgaard and Hamza Igamane still aren't fit enough to feature.
'Aasgaard and Igamane aren't going to make it.
They aren't serious injuries, just frustrating ones where you have to be patient and make sure we don't re-injure them.'
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Martin will face his ex-Norwich team-mate Jens Berthel Askou in the dug-out at Fir Park tonight - and he's determined to get off to a winning start in the league.
He said: 'I know how hard working Jens is and I'm sure he's carried that into his coaching and management.
'He's done a good job in his early career so far.
'I'm looking forward to seeing him but I want to win and it's better to catch up after you've had a win.'