Sunday 7 August 2016 12:39, UK
Rangers chairman Dave King has indicated manager Mark Warburton is unlikely to be given much more money in the current transfer window.
The newly promoted club started their Scottish Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Hamilton Accies on Saturday, with Warburton's squad still short of numbers.
King promised an investment of between £30m and £50m when he was attempting to gain control of the then Championship club in 2015, but so far he has not any provided significant sum.
Head of recruitment at Ibrox, Frank McParland has been working with management duo Warburton and Davie Weir attempting to unearth players mainly out of contract.
Rangers have brought in Niko Kranjcar, who turns 32 next week, to join 33-year-old Joey Barton and Clint Hill (37) on Bosman deals.
Matt Crooks, Josh Windass, Joseph Dodoo and Lee Hodson have all arrived on nominal fees, along with free agents Matthew Gilks and Jordan Rossiter.
Speaking after the match with Hamilton, King revealed he is planning to hold back money until January, while hopeful the club will compete in the Premiership and in European football next season.
"I think it's still early days. Mark and Frank and Davie have done a lot of work, we've brought in a lot of players, we have obviously increased our investment in wages very, very considerably," King said on Sky Sports.
"It's now a question of getting them to settle in. Today was the first chance of playing together in a competitive environment, but we hope the investment we have made will see us in good stead over the course of the season.
"I think we haven't finished doing business yet and given the fact we are in the Premier League, it's a more competitive league, I think we'll keep more in reserve for January as well and just look at where we think we are league wise at that point in time.
"Last year the challenge was to win the Championship and this year the challenge is to compete for the Premier League and then next year hopefully when we are in Europe, we'll increase the investment again to try and compete in Europe."
Meanwhile, the South African businessman suggested fans will receive an update on the ongoing dispute with Sports Direct, who control the club's retail operation, and kit manufacturers Puma in the next couple of weeks.
The new Rangers kit was released on public sale last week despite the Glasgow club insisting they would not allow their IP to be used without permission, even though they are under contract with both parties and the official shirt sponsor.
Puma and Sports Direct have decided to adhere to the terms of the deal and Rangers confirmed in a statement they were not contacted on the decision.
King remains optimistic the position can be resolved, although he offered no details on how he can have any say in the matter.
"The situation regarding the well-known publicity, the commercial issues, is far more under control, if I can use that term, than it was a couple of months ago," King said.
"I think probably within the next few weeks. I think we've made a lot of progress in an area where we have a lot of sensitivity around it, that's Puma, it's how we handle the situation with Puma.
"As a football club we regard our contracts as being very, very important. Puma, as we all know are a kind of unwanted party, they really shouldn't be there, and they are caught up in something.
"So we are trying to get the balance right between doing what we think is right for the football club and the supporters but still recognising that while our legal position may be that we can take certain actions, we still have to respect that Puma have been very supportive of the club.
"We'll try and find a way out that works for both of us."
