How Rangers could sign an even bigger star for McInnes

And so a win for Derek McInnes in his first game in charge in the Ibrox dugout, the new Glasgow Rangers boss overseeing a 2-1 victory over St-Etienne as preparations for the new season ramp up.

Two penalties either side of a goal from former Celtic target Jakob Breum were enough to seal the win for the Gers, with new man Lawrence Shankland opening the scoring, prior to Thelo Asgaard’s clincher five minutes from time.

Speaking post-match, McInnes did hint that there could be as many as three new signings in the door by the time the Premiership campaign kicks off against Dundee United a week on Sunday.

Partizan Belgrade starlet, Vanja Dragojevic, has since signed on the dotted line to make it signing number seven of the summer, although there is far more uncertainty surrounding fellow midfield target, Jens Hjerto-Dahl.

Why missing out on Hjerto-Dahl would be such a blow for Rangers

There’s certainly been a change in tack since January at Ibrox, with much of the club’s business so far this summer having been centred around experienced or Premiership-proven signings to strengthen the spine of McInnes’ squad.

That’s not to say the Light Blues are completely abandoning their policy of seeking out young, rising stars, having previously splashed out almost £5m on German striker, Ryan Naderi.

The aforementioned Hjerto-Dahl had also been a leading target for then boss Danny Rohl during the winter window, albeit with the 20-year-old ultimately staying put at Norwegian side Tromso.

It has since proven a fine 2026 so far for the promising playmaker, having scored seven times in just 14 Eliteserien games this season, while also registering two assists.

His most recent effort against HamKam showed what the Scandinavian is all about, as he added to his burgeoning highlight reel with another stellar strike from range into the top right-hand corner.

That effort had come amid claims that he was closing in on a move to Ibrox, following reports he only wanted to join Rangers, yet Cardiff City’s interest has complicated matters, with the EFL Championship side pressing ahead with a deal of their own.

To see Hjerto-Dahl head to South Wales instead, considering his potential and rampant current form, would be a sizeable blow, with there certainly set to be intrigue over how the rest of this summer plays out for the Old Firm side.

How Rangers could sign a bigger talent than Hjerto-Dahl

There weren’t the wholesale changes that are often seen in pre-season, but it was telling that both Djeidi Gassama and Oliver Antman remained unused substitutes for Wednesday’s clash, particularly considering the lack of genuine width in the starting lineup.

That omission seemingly doesn’t bode well for the pair heading into this new era under McInnes’ watch, with attacking signings now needed as a matter of urgency.

Well, one man who could be the perfect addition is Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amario Cozier-Duberry, with journalist Simon Collings reporting that Rangers are ready to make a formal move for the 21-year-old.

Belgian side Anderlecht have already seen a £5m bid rejected for the young Englishman, with clubs queueing up to try and prise the youngster from the Amex, even with Brighton keen to offer him a new deal.

Hjerto-Dahl, as already explained, looks like a real superstar in the making, although so too does Cozier-Duberry, the ex-Arsenal speedster potentially boasting even greater potential than the young Norwegian.

Indeed, this is a player who had previously been dubbed the new ‘new Bukayo Saka’ during his rise through the Gunners’ youth ranks, with that comparison also made by his former youth coach, Jack Wilshere, to The Athletic in 2023.

Cozier-Duberry did ultimately leave north London in 2024, but he’s shown his quality and then some since then, notably enjoying a sparkling campaign on loan at Bolton Wanderers in 2025/26.

Yes, he was operating in England’s third tier, but it’s hard not to be impressed by what the wideman produced, having scored and assisted 18 goals to help secure promotion to the Championship.

The Hale End graduate also created ten ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.6 key passes and 1.9 successful dribbles per game, actually ranking second in the division in terms of total successful dribbles completed.

Looking to Hjerto-Dahl, while the in-demand midfielder is typically deployed in more of a number eight role, his record just isn’t quite as impressive, having created zero big chances and averaged just 0.7 key passes per game in 2026, while also averaging just 1.4 successful dribbles per outing.

In terms of exciting young wingers, Cozier-Duberry really does look like the complete package, someone who can win a game on his own with a moment of magic on his devastating right foot.

As noted, that likeness to England star Saka speaks to just how highly-regarded the Brighton man is, with the potential blow of missing out on Hjerto-Dahl no doubt set to be eased if Cozier-Duberry arrives at Ibrox in the coming weeks.