21 January 2008

WALTER SMITH is ready to move for midfield reinforcements after losing key man Kevin Thomson at a crucial stage of the season.

With 10 days to go in the transfer window, the Ibrox boss knows he is light in the engine room with Thomson requiring groin surgery that will rule him out until the start of March.

There will be no move for West Ham veteran Christian Dailly, however, after that deal cooled over the weekend.

Smith only has skipper Barry Ferguson, Brahim Hemdani and Charlie Adam as central midfielders and knows that Thomson could miss at least 10 games, including the Uefa Cup last 32 matches against Panathinaikos.

Several approaches have been made for players in the past fortnight but, as Smith confirmed after the 1-0 win at Inverness, he has been thwarted so far.

"Getting the players we would like has so far proved difficult and, as I have said, we'll only bring people in if they are players who can make a difference," Smith said.

"There will be no formal moves for Dailly. We'll see what happens in the remainder of the window."

Smith had viewed Dailly as one option as cover for the possibility of Thomson's enforced absence following the decision to allow Ugo Ehiogu to join Sheffield United last week.

But he will now turn his attentions elsewhere in a bid to make sure Rangers are not short in numbers.

Reports in France today claimed that Daniel Cousin would be allowed to leave before the end of the month with Fulham and Wigan battling to sign him.

Smith has said there have been no formal approaches for Cousin, but it appears that the Gabonese striker's future at Ibrox is still very much in doubt.

The same reports also claimed that Rangers are tracking towering Lille striker Nicolas Fauvergue.

The 23-year-old 6ft 4in hitman has struggled for form this season, but has a decent pedigree in Ligue One.

There is no way Cousin will be allowed to leave unless a replacement is secured first, but Rangers would not comment today on the latest speculation. Source - eveningtimes