Frankie

Bedoya and McKay haven't had great careers so far but recently they've shown good promise which is why they've become more highly regarded at international level - hence increasing their reputation. I think both are great moves and while not every player can play until they're 40 like Davie Weir, 32 year old for a central defender isn't past it.

I think Tumshie sums it up well. Essentially, we've signed some interesting and capable players who fit our budget - especially since we've been knocked out the CL. I'm happy enough but would like to see another striker if we can manage to move on Beattie in particular.

He played on both flanks for Almeria so while he's not had a great start for us, he deserves more of an opportunity to settle here before anyone labels him a dud. I think he'll prove quite useful throughout the team as his confidence increases. Especially in matches where we may need to be more conservative.

It's a pity I'm on my phone and not my PC or I'd change your user-name to @BD for increased efficiency!

No idea mate - three year contract though. I'd fancy it would be no more than �£300K.

Translated...

Rangers have agreed a deal for @AleBedoya17 to join the club immediately. http://oskfotboll.se/

Two weeks to go until the end of the transfer window then. I wonder if any key RFC employees have decided to go on holiday at this point?

Funnily enough, I am finding it difficult to concentrate on this season. I think that because last season felt so long and was so stressful at times due to the antics of Celtic, and the fact the close season was so short, it means some of us are struggling to focus a wee bit.

I'd fancy if there's no movement by either party, the lad will move to Bolton by the end of the month. Then we'd really be short for width and pace.

Wylde did pretty well last season for me. I agree he's not fantastic with the ball at his feet but he did show a lot of positional discipline and hard work on the left flank when in the team whilst offering more in an attacking sense than Ortiz. He deserves a decent offer of a new contract.

I really hope we get a creative player in (or a striker if we want to move Naismith back into midfield).

Nope, nothing on those two. I'd imagine we'll have to move on Beattie before we can sign another striker. As ever, I think we'll have to pay close attention come the last day of the window. That's the most likely time we'll do business.

Well, I'd prefer we were prudent now rather than having to pay for spending money we don't have a few years down the line. I am interested in where this supposed front-loaded investment has gone though. I don't recall the new owner saying it was dependent on CL qualification?

Despite his age, he's still a very decent defender. At less than �£500K it's probably with the investment but hardly a long term one. Clearly our CL exit is causing us problems financially. From being linked with various �£2.5million transfers, we're back to loans and cheap deals.

Who is the 'mystery' defender is that today's Herald & Evening Times links us with? That rules out Cuellar, Benaloune, Juh�¡sz & Wilson.

Good article mate. I think blaming the police is a cop out though (sic). Far too many of our fans don't contribute to the atmosphere (at Ibrox at least). Football fans are a different breed of people nowadays though and many just want to sit for 70-90mins and enjoy watching the game which is their entitlement. That's frustrating for those of us who seem the experience improved by singing etc but we can't make people join in so we have to just keep trying to find songs (new and old) which will take the fancy of more people.

Gordon Smith on Talksport saying we will sign more players & that regime are totally behind Ally McCoist. Bids made worth �£7million so far.

Cheers mate. To be fair to FF admin, they have a few more users than us so it is a bit more difficult to keep things sensible.

Zappa: I remain positive as well mate and for what it's worth (and I did allude to it in the article) I still think we'll do suitable business between now and the end of the month. However, that doesn't mean I'm not frustrated at what I feel has been a poor performance in the transfer market. Not in terms of signings made [i think all are (or will prove) adequate enough] but the delay in obtaining the players required. This directly contributed to us going out of the CL - losing us up to �£17million in the process. Add in the uncertainty about the tax problems, the uncertainty about our future direction and people like Phil Mcccckjujkl;bain extracting the proverbial via their sources then I'm not as happy as I hoped I would be after 3 months of Craig Whyte. Like I say though, I am upbeat and I do appreciate 3 months is by no means long enough to judge anyone. The CL exit also had mitigating factors and the other issues I mention were not created by Whyte. However, these problems do exist so it is now up to Whyte to accept the challenge and show us the kind of progress he promised. I don't see that as unfair - merely, well to coin a phrase, being vigilant.

No, just a perception mate given our overall approach this summer. Take anything you want - always welcome!

Yes, club have suggested agreement is reached but that's only with the smaller liability - not the main EBT scheme which is being contested in the courts.

I'm not overly concerned about new players or the tax issues. Like you say, I'd hope Whyte knows what he's doing there. However, so far at least, the signs haven't been all that indicative of a better run club although I do welcome a stronger tact with the media.

As the incessant rain and rioting continue to ruin the summer for most British people, Rangers supporters have more dark clouds on the horizon with the news that HMRC (in conjunction with Sheriff Officers) appear extremely eager to ensure payment for an outstanding Ã?£2.8million (plus penalties) tax liability. With a previous ââ?¬Ë?queryââ?¬â?¢ regarding player EBT payments under the previous owner Sir David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s custodianship, and a distinct inability to push through essential new signings, the Rangers support are rightly concerned about the fiscal situation at their club. Now, clearly both of these tax issues have arisen from deficiencies well before Craig Whyte bought the club just over three months ago. As such, to blame him for challenging the content of the two separate HMRC cases would be rather churlish. Moreover, it seems obvious that the Rangers chairman (along with tax expert Andrew Thornhill QC who is representing the club) is more than confident that both cases can be solved to the satisfaction of our support. In saying that, given sums of up to Ã?£50million have been speculated in the media as possible fees if these cases go against us, we may need more than bullish optimism as these queries play out in the courts. Indeed, if one juxtaposes the tax problems with our difficulties in the transfer market then thatââ?¬â?¢s where many Rangers fans will start to sweat. Obviously, our support have requested prudence in the face of dangerous over-spending in the early part of this millennium but there is a fine line between conservative cash outlay and endangering our chances of success this season (and beyond). This subtle difference was illustrated perfectly as we were knocked out the Champions League well before the group stage due, in part at least, to a distinct lack of depth in our squad. Of course, the club administration will point to the re-signing of key players and the capture of a few new faces as evidence that the days of alleged bank interference are gone. Wallace, Goian and Ortiz may not be the big-name players our fans crave but they will bring freshness and renewed ambition to a squad that has already proven it can compete domestically at least. Unfortunately, the sale of Madjid Bougherra along with high profile failures to capture our primary transfer targets means that once again the Rangers squad is a fragile one as the SPL really starts to get going. An apparent knee problem and MRI scan for Nikica Jelavic along with ill-health for Sasa Papac merely emphasises the lack of options for new manager Ally McCoist. With one negative story after another seemingly encapsulating the club in the kind of gloom that can derail championship bids, perhaps this will be the perfect time for the new owner to prove his intentions are honourable? From now until the end of August is a time where the transfer market finally becomes more focussed ââ?¬â?? none more so than in the EPL where the club 25 man squads will be drawn up by the Manciniââ?¬â?¢s, Dalglishââ?¬â?¢s and Fergusonââ?¬â?¢s of this world. Last season Rangers had some joy from this market but even they may not be able to wait until the cast-offs of our richer peers are available. After all, can we really afford to drop more early points after a poor home draw against Hearts as we unfurled the SPL flag last month? Even from just a few games this season, it is clear that Rangers are short both in central defence and in a creative sense. The loss of Bougherra and injuries to other defenders means strong interest in Carlos Cuellar and Roland JuhÃ?¡sz has to be converted into actual signings. Meanwhile, further forward in the team, Steven Davis canââ?¬â?¢t be expected to carry the creative burden on his own so a wide outlet with pace and the ability to score goals would be most welcome. Anything less than two further new signings and Rangers will really struggle to compete throughout another demanding season at home and abroad. While it is easy to be critical and perhaps over-analyse the very early stages of the Whyte era at Rangers, football fans are generally not the most patient (or indeed logical) of people. Our support needs and demands success at every turn and even though Rangers fans may have to learn to be more understanding of a changing economic climate in Scottish football; the welcome carpet for their new owner has already been rolled away. Exciting sound-bites now have to be turned into tangible progress. To that end, Craig Whyte may not be able to stop the looting in England but the Rangers support will expect him to chase the rain-clouds away from our club and provide the bright future he promised in May.

Apart from his age, the likely wage, the fee and his inconsistency during his first spell - it's all positive! Healy and Beattie have not improved our team and while I'd agree Lovenkrands is better than both of them (due to his pace more than anything else); I'd rather we spent any available cash on a younger version.