Russell Martin teases Rangers transfer 'surprises' as boss puts number on signings he expects for Champions League opener

Russell Martin teases Rangers transfer 'surprises' as boss puts number on signings he expects for Champions League opener

Martin wants his players to surprise him before he embarks on any wide-scale transfer overhaul

Russell Martin speaks to Sky Sports (Image: Sky Sports )

'Surprise me.'

That was the challenge from Russell Martin as he urged his Rangers players to show him he doesn't need a dramatic transfer overhaul this summer.

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The new boss is realistic enough to know this summer is going to be difficult at Ibrox. The new American Rangers owners have tasked him with rebuilding the club and taking the fight to Celtic but that process is going to be a long one after three permanent managers came and went without laying a glove on their rivals' Premiership dominance.

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Martin knows he needs a big summer and expects at least 'one or two' to be in the door by the time they kick off their Champions League qualifying campaign on July 22 or July 23 – just over six weeks from now.

But first, he wants the players who arguably haven't been so prominent in recent months – perhaps the likes of Nedim Bajrami and Danilo, who fell out of favour towards the end of last season – to show him what they can do.

He told Sky Sports: "There are a few positions where we'll need to strengthen fairly quickly and fairly early on. But also, I'm willing to be surprised and open to being surprised by some of the players we have here.

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"The way we're going to work and play is going to give them the best chance to show us what we've got and give us the best version of themselves. Hopefully, one or two surprises.

"We'll need some help before that game for sure. But until we get in here and assess everyone, how many we'll need before that game and how realistic that is is unclear – because football and the business of the transfer window can be difficult.

"But I'm pretty sure by then, we'll have one or two people to help us and add to the group."

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