After conceding the initiative in the Scottish Premiership title race in their disappointing defeat against Old Firm rivals Celtic, January could prove to be a crucial month for Rangers if they are to swing the tide back in their favour. The Gers were of course unbeaten under Philippe Clement before the Celtic game and have since got back on track with a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock.

Their derby defeat proves that they could still do with some reinforcements in the hope of bridging the gap at the top of Scotland’s top flight, however, and that could see them land a surprise move to sign a Premier League winner this month.

Rangers transfer news

Rangers have already turned to one player with Premier League calibre this month, signing Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and it’s clear that Clement wants to focus on reinforcing his Ibrox attack this month.

It could be argued that the Gers are still yet to find a replacement for Alfredo Morelos, who left last summer. Both Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers have struggled to live up to expectations at times, opening the door to further offensive arrivals during the January transfer window.

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The Gers are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the English centre-forward.

According to The Sun, Rangers are leading the race to sign Michy Batshuayi in a “shock move”. The former Chelsea striker has struggled at Fenerbahce this season and Clement has personally scheduled talks to offer him a lifeline, meaning the Gers could now “pull off a major transfer coup”.

Those crucial talks are reportedly expected in the coming days, with Rangers keen to get any deal done before they fly out to their La Manga training camp this week. It remains to be seen whether Rangers can convince the Belgian over a move, especially amid interest from Everton, but the fact that his contract is set to expire this summer makes Fenerbahce simple negotiators this month.

Batshuayi would instantly be Rangers’ best forward

If Rangers did secure a deal to sign Batshuayi on a short-term transfer, the Belgian would undoubtedly become their best attacking option in an instant. Sam Lammers’ goal tally has reached just two all season, whilst Dessers’ stats haven’t exactly been impressive either, given that he’s found the back of the net just six times in the Scottish Premiership.

Batshuayi’s numbers meanwhile are quite impressive on limited game time – he has managed eight goals from just nine starts with several cameos in all competitions this season, which begs the question of where his tally would be as a consistent starter.

The Premier League winner earned plenty of praise during his time at Chelsea, including from Frank Lampard, who said via the club’s official website: “It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality,’ Lampard explained. Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class.

“When Tammy is scoring regular goals and getting a firm foot in the team, that’s not easy. It’s the same for Oli [Giroud]. Michy has shown all the right ways of handling that. He has been very good for us so far, and that positive spirit when you’re not playing regularly is not just important for him, cause that’s tough sometimes, but it’s important for the group. He deserves extra praise for that.”