Michael Beale told glamour Rangers transfer is in reach as Champions League paves road to ‘X factor’ arrival

Michael Beale could look to land an additional marquee signing – should Rangers make their way into the Champions League group stage.

A disappointing opening day Premiership defeat to Kilmarnock must be put in the rear view mirror as Swiss side Servette come to Ibrox on Wednesday for a Champions League third round qualifier. Gio van Bronckhorst guided the club to the groups last season with a play-off win over PSV and boss Beale learned on Monday that the Dutch side or Sturm Graz await in that stage should they defeat Servette.

Around the £15m mark has been spent on players like Danilo and Cyriel Dessers this summer but former midfielder Kevin Thomson reckons a name out of reach at the moment could come into Rangers thinking should they make the lucrative top table. He told the BBC: “When you are Rangers and chasing Celtic, or vice-versa, when they are selling players for big money or recruiting players, winning leagues, playing in the Champions League, the gulf becomes bigger.

“It becomes harder for the team who is in second to catch. I think Rangers are in that wee conundrum at the moment where Celtic are in front and have a good squad.

“They have just sold Jota who is a wonderful player, but the good part for Celtic is they are trying to replace him with £25m in the bank. So at any given time, I am sure Brendan Rodgers with the pull that he had for Celtic trying to recruit him as a manager, there will be money sitting there for when the right player becomes available.

“I would like to think when you look at Rangers’ recruitment, getting to the top table is going to be massively important for probably the x-factor recruitment that Michael Beale just have on a special board.

“They might have an eye on a special talent or a player a wee bit more outwith the budget. That can be the difference. Imperative that they make sure they try to get to the top table so these next couple games are huge in defining what the season looks like moving forward.”