CRAIG Moore believes Steven Gerrard has transformed Rangers into Scottish title challengers thanks to his summer recruitment drive – and predicted the Ibrox club will only improve further in the second half of the season as his new-look team plays more games together.
Former Liverpool and England captain Gerrard brought in no fewer than 15 players – 10 on permanent deals and five on loan – in the summer after being appointed manager at the Glasgow giants.
And he has wasted no time strengthening his squad further in the January transfer window by signing Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones and Dundee midfielder Glen Kamara on pre-contract agreements.
Elsewhere, Steven Davis and Jermaine Defoe are poised to arrive on loan from Southampton and Bournemouth respectively and join their new team mates on their winter training camp in Tenerife this week.
Moore, who helped the Govan club complete Nine-In-A-Row in his first spell at Rangers back in the 1990s, has been impressed by how players like Scott Arfield, Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent have performed.
The former Ibrox captain believes having quality options in every position on the park, not least at centre half, has raised standards at Rangers and is helping them challenge Celtic, who they beat 1-0 last month, in the league.
“What they have got now is strength in depth,” he said. “What Steven Gerrard has done very, very well is create competition for places. For example, in defence he has Connor Goldson, Joe Worrall, Gareth McAuley and Nikola Katic.
“He has, too, done that in a very short space of time. He brought in 15 players in the summer and they have gelled. He has been very impressive. Hats off to Stevie G and his backroom staff. They have done a really good job.
“It is a team that is going to continue to improve. The more time they spend with one another, the more games they play together, the better they will get.”
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