Kevin Thelwell is ready to make ruthless cuts to the "Rangers" squad this summer as the new sporting director works alongside recently appointed manager Russell Martin.
"We have to make some hard, fast decisions and then hopefully start to quickly build a team that helps us to win," Thelwell explained when discussing the upcoming transfer window.
The club appears set for significant personnel changes at Ibrox, with "Birmingham City" keeping close tabs on developments. The Blues are hoping to bring back Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell permanently after both players spent last season on loan at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.
Both Davies and Dowell were instrumental in Birmingham's dominant League One campaign, helping the team secure an EFL-record 111 points. The pair have just 12 months remaining on their "Rangers" contracts and seemed likely departures before Martin took charge.
Interestingly, reports suggest the new manager wants to evaluate his squad before sanctioning any exits. This could potentially complicate Birmingham's transfer plans if Martin sees a future for either player at Ibrox.
When questioned about potential transfer numbers – specifically whether as many as 12 players could leave with the same amount arriving – Thelwell was cautious.
"I probably wouldn't want to put a number on it at the moment. Clearly, there's been work being done behind the scenes already. We've been evaluating and reviewing the current group that we've got," he said.
The sporting director acknowledged the quality already present at the club but emphasized the need for improvement. "There are some very good players here at Rangers. But with every football club, there's room for improvement, isn't there?"
With Celtic firmly in their sights, how quickly can Thelwell and Martin reshape this "Rangers" squad into genuine title contenders?
