Rangers ready to seal 8th signing in the next 48 hrs

It’s been an extensive summer of recruitment for Glasgow Rangers thus far, and there’s no sign of things slowing down either, with Serbian midfielder, Vanja Dragojevic, arriving through the door as signing number seven at Ibrox on Thursday.

The recent pre-season clash with Saint-Etienne did showcase that further depth and quality are needed, however, particularly on the flanks, with Derek McInnes‘ side looking devoid of width in that 2-1 win in midweek.

It was also telling that McInnes overlooked both Oliver Antman and Djeidi Gassama on the day, and with Mikey Moore and Andreas Skov Olsen having returned to their parent clubs, attacking reinforcements appear a necessity.

New Zealand star Elijah Just had been mooted as a potential target in recent months, although the 26-year-old has since sealed a move to Swansea City. Might he have been the perfect solution for the Gers?

Why missing out on Elijah Just is a blow for Rangers

Now, much of the talk surrounding Just was largely directed toward Celtic this summer, although Rangers were believed to have been in the mix too, following a stunning season for the Kiwi at Motherwell.

Plucked from Scandinavia last summer, the left-footer was one of many breakout stars in the Premiership last time out, having been among the nominees for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award.

That gong ultimately went to Claudio Braga, but Just’s own quality was evident, having racked up 14 goals and assists in the league at Fir Park.

His tally of seven assists was the joint-fourth best record in the division, behind only Callum Slattery, Kieran Tierney and Calvin Miller, having been such a creative force in Jens Berthel Askou’s high-flying side.

Be it off the right or in a number ten berth, Just was a delight to watch last season, as he was in the group stage of the World Cup, scoring three times even as New Zealand bowed after just three games.

The feeling was that a move away from Motherwell was inevitable following those displays on the global stage, with there likely to have been wisdom in either Rangers or Celtic adding him to their ranks.

Instead, he hasn’t quite sealed the marquee switch that was expected, despite the bumper £6m price tag, having moved to England’s second tier amid the hope of a Premier League promotion.

Perhaps that speaks to the Premiership’s current place in the pecking order, although the dynamic could be shifted if the Gers secure a potential star of their own from England.

How Rangers could sign their own Elijah Just

Much of the focus at present is on the Ibrox side’s ongoing pursuit of Tromso midfielder, Jens Hjerto-Dahl, with the Light Blues vying with Cardiff City for the 20-year-old’s signature.

The Norwegian’s future is yet to be determined, however, while progress does appear to be being made elsewhere, with TEAMtalk offering the latest Rangers interest in Amario Cozier-Duberry.

The suggestion is that McInnes and co are expected to wrap up a deal for the Brighton and Hove Albion starlet within 48 hours, having been advancing negotiations regarding the 21-year-old.

Encouragingly, the young Englishman – who was the subject of a £5m bid from Anderlecht – is said to be ‘open’ to moving to Glasgow, raising hopes that he will become signing number eight for the Old Firm side.

Like Just, Cozier-Duberry is another diminutive, dynamic left-footer who has done much of his best work off the right flank in recent years, having enjoyed a particularly fruitful season on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Again, like Just, he proved himself to be both an elite goalscorer and provider across 2025/26, having scored eight and assisted ten in League One.

The ex-Arsenal speedster also created ten ‘big chances’ and averaged a stellar 1.6 key passes per game, a remarkably similar record to Just’s own return at Fir Park, with the Kiwi creating 11 ‘big chances’, while averaging 1.4 key passes per game.

He’s a game-changer, like Swansea’s new man, someone who can get the crowd off their feet with a moment of genius. Indeed, that time at Bolton also saw the youngster average 1.9 successful dribbles per game, ahead of Just’s 1.3 average.

A player likened to fellow Gunners academy graduate, Bukayo Saka, Cozier-Duberry is a truly exciting, high-potential target, someone who could emulate Just, Braga and Mikey Moore as the next breakout Premiership star.

Considering a £5m bid has also been rebuffed by Brighton from Belgium, he won’t exactly come cheap, although it might well require a premium fee for a premium talent.