Malik Tillman Rangers transfer failure could open door for new boy as Barry Ferguson explains what else is needed for revamp

A failure to bring Malik Tillman back to Rangers could end up with Sam Lammers playing as a number 10, according to Barry Ferguson.

The Light Blues had an option to sign the USA midfielder permanently for around £5million as part of the loan that brought him from Bayern Munich last season. But the Bundesliga giants are said to have moved the goalposts and rejected their bid to make it permanent after the 21-year-old impressed in the Scottish Premiership.

Manager Michael Beale was desperate to make it happen as he chases a number of other deals across the summer. He’s already added free transfers Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell and Jack Butland from English football and recently made it four with the £3m capture of forward Lammers from Atalanta.

Ferguson has been busy swotting up on the Dutchman and from watching clips of him, reckons he can operate in the 10 just as well as in the number nine slot. And with concerns over his scoring rate, he actually feels he might be more suited to that.

If the Tillman deal has indeed gone “pear-shaped” then the former Ibrox captain envisages that being the way forward.

He told Go Radio: “19 games one goal (for Sampdoria), that’s the thing that stood out for me. I have watched a fair bit of footage and he can play the number 10 position as well. He looks decent but when you are signing forward-thinking players, you want to see the numbers higher than that.

“So we need to wait and see, they have paid a few pound for him. That looks (Tillman) as if it has went pear-shaped, that deal. He (Lammers) can play number 9 or 10 but I think 10 suits him better.”

Lammers, 26, is the oldest of the outfield signings so far and Ferguson reckons Beale will look to add another couple of experienced players.

And he’s also outlined other areas of the squad that need addressed.

“If you look at the age profile, he is signing young,” Fergie added. “Remember you do need a bit of experience about the team, and I am sure he will look to bring one or two experienced players.

“I look at what he did in January. Raskin, Cantwell, those two have hit the ground running and I am expecting the same from this four.

“I like what he is doing and the business getting done early. I fully expect another three or four players. I do think he will need that bit of experience to help, you can’t buy experience.

“I think he will look to bring in a real, dominant midfielder. He obviously needs another number nine and there’s other areas you can look to go and get a bit of competition.”