For Rangers supporters, this season has felt like pure chaos. It’s difficult to recall another campaign quite like it. Wherever you look, drama has followed, with turbulence rarely far away from Ibrox.
Now, with the January transfer window open, Danny Rohl and the Rangers hierarchy will be desperate for some stability.
The chance to freshen up the squad has arrived at the perfect time, and recruitment chiefs have wasted little time getting to work in 2026. Two new arrivals are already edging closer to finalising moves to Glasgow — but Rangers have no intention of stopping there.
According to the Scottish Sun, attention has now turned to Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil. The report claims Rangers are “closing in” on the 24-year-old, whose contract at the Stadium of Light expires at the end of the season. That situation opens the door to either a cut-price January deal or a free transfer in the summer.
Rangers ramp up midfield pursuit
The opening days of the window have been busy at Ibrox. Belgian left-back Tuur Rommens is expected to sign imminently, while a £7 million double swoop is nearing completion.
Alongside Rommens, Sturm Graz midfielder Tochi Chukwuani is set to arrive in Scotland for a fee of around £4 million.
However, Rangers’ recruitment drive appears far from finished. Talks have reportedly already taken place over a potential pre-contract agreement for Neil, underlining how serious the club are about strengthening the spine of the team.
Why Dan Neil stands out above Rommens and Chukwuani
With Rangers currently sitting third in the table, reinforcements are badly needed — particularly given the struggles of the opening months of the season.
While Rommens and Chukwuani will bolster depth at left-back and in midfield, Dan Neil would represent a different level of signing altogether.
Unlike his potential teammates, Neil would require little adaptation time. Having excelled in the English Football League, his experience and consistency immediately set him apart.
Described as “phenomenal” by Doncaster Rovers winger Luke Molyneux, Neil was instrumental in Sunderland’s promotion-winning campaign last season.
Though Luke O’Nien wore the captain’s armband, Neil frequently led the side on the pitch. He missed just one league game all season, clocking up an incredible 3,882 minutes before the play-offs — more than any other Sunderland player during the 2024/25 campaign.
Rangers’ recent track record with English signings has been mixed, with Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell failing to truly deliver.
But Neil is different. Mature beyond his years, tactically intelligent and relentlessly reliable, he profiles as the kind of player Rangers have lacked.
If the Ibrox club can secure his signature — especially on a free transfer — it could prove to be one of their smartest pieces of business in years.
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