Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale has gone all out to strengthen his attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 season, but work still needs to be done on the defence.
Out of eight signings this summer, only two are defenders, Leon Balogun and Dujon Sterling, and with the new season fast approaching, Beale will have act swiftly in order to bring another centre-back to the club.
With Ben Davies failing to inspire confidence among the Gers faithful due to his struggles last season, could he perhaps be on his way out of Ibrox?
Does Ben Davies have a future at Rangers?
Following the end of last season, the Gers appeared to be open to offers for the former Liverpool gem, however, nothing has materialised with regard to him leaving.
The defender ranked in a lowly 16th across the squad for tackles per game last term (0.9) and 14th for overall Sofascore match rating (6.94) while he also endured a woeful performance against Celtic in April, making a key mistake which led to the Parkhead outfit scoring.
The Englishman failed to clear a simple ball in his own penalty area and Celtic ended up scoring their second goal from the blunder as the Light Blues went on to lose the match.
With just over a month to go until the transfer window shuts, Beale may be hoping there is a prospective buyer sooner rather than later.
Who could replace Ben Davies?
The Glasgow side have shown recent interest in young defender Dembo Saidykhan, who currently plays for Steve Biko in The Gambia.
The 19-year-old is also being courted by Southampton and French side Toulouse, suggesting that if Beale wants to make his move, it must be sooner rather than later.
Despite Balogun arriving back for his second spell with Rangers, there is still a need for another centre-back. Saidykhan may not be the answer straight away, yet the teenage titan does hold key attributes which could allow him to shine for the club in the near future.
During the U20 World Cup, he certainly showcased why he is attracting attention, shining for The Gambia during their impressive run to the last 16, before being defeated by eventual winners Uruguay.
His displays were that impressive he actually ranked as their second-best defender with regard to overall Sofascore match rating (7.05), while he also ranked fourth for accurate passes (45.8), sixth for tackles (1.5) and fifth for interceptions (one) per game, showcasing not only a solid passing ability, but just how effective he was at the heart of the defence.
Not only did he shine in relation to his teammates during the competition, but the youngster was praised by journalist Hernan Federico Pacheco, who said Saidykhan was “strong” and “agile” across his four matches for The Gambia.
It would certainly be a wildcard option if Beale did decide to go ahead and secure his signature, especially considering he hasn’t played in Europe yet. With Davies struggling at times last term, moving him on for a fee and bringing in Saidykhan could be a shrewd move that could pay off handsomely in the near future.