Kevin Thelwell is ready to be ruthless in trimming the "Rangers" squad this summer as the sporting director works alongside new manager Russell Martin to reshape the team. The Ibrox club faces significant personnel changes with several players potentially heading for the exit door.
"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.
"Birmingham City" are keeping close tabs on the situation at Ibrox, particularly regarding the futures of Ben Davies and Kieran Dowell. Both players spent last season on loan at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park and were instrumental in Birmingham's dominant League One campaign, where they amassed a record-breaking 111 points.
Despite having just 12 months remaining on their Rangers contracts, the duo's immediate future remains unclear. They appeared destined to leave before Martin's appointment, but reports suggest the new boss wants to evaluate his options before sanctioning any departures.
Interestingly, when asked if as many as 12 players could be leaving with the same number arriving, Thelwell was cautious not to commit to specific figures.
"I probably wouldn't want to put a number on it at the moment," he said. "Clearly, there's been work being done behind the scenes already. We've been evaluating and reviewing the current group that we've got."
The sporting director acknowledged that while "Rangers" already possess "some very good players," improvements are necessary if they hope to challenge "Celtic" for supremacy in Scottish football.
"There's room for improvement," Thelwell noted. "We want to go into the transfer market and find opportunities that help the team be better and stronger."
With Martin now installed as head coach, the pair have begun detailed discussions about squad composition and transfer targets. Will this ruthless approach finally help Rangers close the gap on their city rivals? The coming weeks should provide some answers.
