Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst was officially unveiled at Ibrox earlier this week and will now be getting stuck into the job instantly.

Whilst the upcoming fixtures will be an immediate focus for the Dutchman, he may also start to think about his plans for the January and summer transfer windows to shape the squad to his will.

The Athletic have reported that replacing soon-to-be 37-year-old Steven Davis will be high on the manager's priority list in the coming weeks and months, with the veteran midfielder out of contract at the end of the season.

Solution

Van Bronckhorst could find a solution to this Davis problem by landing Blackburn Rovers midfielder Joe Rothwell in January or next summer. It was reported last month that Rangers are closing in on a pre-contract deal for the English Championship player and he could be exactly what the ex-Feyenoord boss is looking for.

Davis, who is on £13k-per-week, cannot be expected to play forever and there must come a time when he is naturally moved on, which could come next summer, according to The Athletic. He has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.79 and 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premiership this season, whilst also making 1.1 key passes per match.

Rothwell has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.92 and 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game in the Championship for Blackburn, whilst also making 1.2 key passes per match. These statistics suggest that they are similar in play styles, although the 26-year-old has been able to perform consistently to a higher level, albeit in a different league.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray once heaped praise on the midfielder's speed as he urged him to get closer to goal, saying: “He’s an exciting talent, he’s exceedingly fast, he keeps the ball really tight. We want him running towards the opposition goal rather than across the pitch."

This suggests that he has the potential to make an impact in the final third, along with his similar defensive statistics to Davis. Rothwell has one goal and four assists in the second tier of English football this season, whilst the 36-year-old has zero goals and one assist in Scotland.

Therefore, the Rovers beast, who is 10 years younger than the Northern Ireland international, could be a long-term successor to Davis. Van Bronckhorst must ensure that a deal gets over the line for him in January to bolster his squad and replace the veteran midfielder, who is out of contract next summer.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can find his next Van Persie at Rangers in £33k-p/w gem who's "like a jungle cat"...