For all the talk about fresh faces being needed at Ibrox last month, Rangers boss Danny Rohl made the bold call to leave three of his four January signings on the bench in midweek after rotating his side for the trip to Fir Park.
The decision ultimately backfired. Stephen Welsh’s late intervention denied Rangers all three points, while Rohl opted not to introduce the likes of Andreas Skov Olsen, instead throwing on an additional centre-back in an attempt to protect the lead.
The 1-1 draw served as another reminder that several inherited players may not be at the required level — with Youssef Chermiti once again drawing a blank up front.
The 22-year-old squandered a golden opportunity midway through the first half, and the £8m outlay on a striker who had managed just three senior goals prior to arriving continues to look questionable in hindsight.
Deadline-day signing Ryan Naderi is expected to prove a more effective addition, but attention is already shifting towards further attacking reinforcements in the summer. The hope was that Bojan Miovski’s previous success at Aberdeen would translate instantly, yet despite reaching double figures across all competitions, there is a growing sense that he could become another Cyriel Dessers — productive in patches but not consistently decisive.
That is why turning again to a Premiership-proven option appears a sensible route for the Ibrox hierarchy. Rangers have reportedly retained interest in Motherwell forward Tawanda Maswanhise, and a fresh update suggests a move could be realistic.
Rangers could see bid accepted for centre-forward upgrade
Naderi’s brace against Queen’s Park offered encouragement, but with Chermiti and Miovski combining for just eight Premiership goals between them, further firepower may still be required. While no official fee has been confirmed, earlier reports suggested Maswanhise could be valued at around £5m.
Why the £5m target could be another Naismith
Recruiting within the Scottish market has previously paid dividends for Rangers, notably when they signed Kris Boyd and Steven Naismith from Kilmarnock in the mid-2000s. While Maswanhise developed at Leicester City, there are similarities to Naismith’s move to Ibrox in 2007.
Back then, Naismith was one of the Premiership’s brightest young talents, finishing the 2006/07 campaign with 15 league goals after scoring 13 the previous season — form that earned him the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award. Both Celtic and Rangers were interested, but the 20-year-old chose Ibrox, going on to help the club win three consecutive league titles between 2008 and 2011.
Unlike Boyd, Naismith was not an out-and-out striker. His pace, movement and versatility allowed him to operate behind a central forward, as a number ten or even from wide areas — qualities that made him such an asset.
Maswanhise appears to possess similar traits. Although he had made just one senior appearance in England before joining Motherwell in 2024, he has since flourished in the Premiership. Capable of playing centrally, as a second striker or out wide, his speed and directness have caused problems for defenders all season.
He was once again lively in the recent meeting with Rohl’s side, nearly converting from a tight angle in the first half — a display that stood in sharp contrast to Chermiti’s struggles at the other end.
If Rangers are serious about adding mobility and dynamism to their attack, Maswanhise could represent a signing in the mould of a young Naismith — and perhaps the upgrade they are searching for.
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