The transfer window can do strange things to people and there’s little doubt this could be one of the most crucial in the history of the Scottish game.
With a three-way battle at the top of the Premiership, all eyes will be on Hearts, Rangers and Celtic to see who emerges from January the strongest.
Indeed, Ibrox boss Danny Rohl admits the next few days will be a ‘little bit crazy’ as his club look to add to their squad.
Of course, sometimes it’s not just about who you bring in, but who you retain.
Celtic were boosted, for example, by their skipper Callum McGregor voicing his determination to stay put for the title fight. Any reunion with Brendan Rodgers in Saudi Arabia will to have wait, it seems.
Suggestions of any departures from Hearts have certainly faded into the background, with a possible loan move for Craig Gordon having been ruled out earlier this month.
Danny Rohl is still determined to add to his squad before the transfer window closes
Djeidi Gassama and Youssef Chermiti have both been liked with bids from other clubs
As for Rangers, the last 48 hours have been more than lively on the rumour front. Reports of an astonishing £13million bid from Fenerbahce for £8m summer signing Youssef Chermiti emerged on Tuesday night.
Rangers fans were astounded, and perhaps even more surprised when it was claimed the chance to make a quick-fire £5m profit on a lacklustre recruit had been rejected.
Reports from Turkey, however, played down the ‘bid’, claiming it was an agent who had offered the player to the club. It appears that will be one to watch.
That Rangers had also knocked back a loan-to-buy bid from Monaco for 22-year-old winger Djeidi Gassama in a deal in excess of £10m certainly seemed more plausible.
As ever during the madness and desperation of a transfer window, the truth is sometimes blurred in the bedlam.
Regardless, Rohl was taking it all in his relaxed stride ahead of the Europa League dead rubber against Porto in Portugal as he spoke about the ‘rumours’ surrounding some of his players.
The Rangers boss sometimes seems a little bemused by the chaos around him, but his calm demeanour and diplomacy have certainly helped steady the ship in Govan.
‘First, we take the positive that other clubs are interested in our players but, on the other side, we will keep our best players,’ said Rohl.
‘We have big goals this season and we’re in two competitions and we need our best players.
‘We spoke about wanting to strengthen our squad and not make it weaker.
‘We are very clear about what we want to do.
‘I have a number in my head (for the amount of new signings), that’s the most important thing.
‘Andrew (Cavenagh, chairman) knows it, the recruitment team knows it.
‘This is clear. The next three or four days will be a little bit crazy.
‘There will be some moments where you think you will have a yes, then maybe not.
‘But, all in all, by the end of the window, we should have a good number of players ready for the second half of the season.
‘I will be happy when the window closes and then we can focus on our games and focus on the group.
‘My players are doing really well at the moment and we have done well to ignore all the rumours that are surrounding some of my players.’
Although effectively out of the competition, Rohl wants his players to show a ‘nasty’ side to their character against Porto, with the emphasis on ‘a clean sheet’.
Rohl was remaining calm ahead of the Porto game despite admitting the transfer window could get a ‘little crazy’
The German coach has dragged Rangers back into the Premiership title race since taking over from Russell Martin last October.
However, Europe has been a disaster this season and they sit in 31st place out of 36 teams in the league phase going into the final fixture against a side who are in ninth place with 14 points and already through to the knockout stages.
‘We know the next weeks are going to be crucial to get points, different competitions, and that starts tomorrow against Porto,’ Rohl added.
‘But we’re not coming here just to be a guest. We want to be a nasty guest, a nasty opponent and we want to try and get something here.’
On the fitness front, Chermiti has returned from illness, Dujon Sterling is back training and Joe Rothwell should be available, but Danilo is absent due to the impending arrival of his new baby.
Rohl’s three new January signings – Denmark winger Andreas Skov Olsen, Danish midfielder Tochi Chukwuani, and Belgian left-back Tuur Rommens – are all ineligible.
