Danny Rohr wasted no time in giving his thumbs up to Rangers’ summer plans.
Following negotiations earlier this month, Ibrox’s recruitment drive has begun in earnest, with the German confirmed as the man to lead the club for next season, with the 49ers giving him their full backing.
With captain James Tavanier set to leave the club after 11 years, Rolle has spoken openly about the need for “new leadership” and “fresh energy” in the dressing room.
Youssef Cermiti and Nicolas Raskin are both expected to attract significant interest, with a combined transfer fee estimated at around £40m, with the funds raised from their sale to be reinvested as the club, who finished third on 69 points, aim to close the gap on Celtic and Hearts.
It was a back-and-forth season for the Rangers.
They were in first place by just one point heading into the post-split match, only for four straight losses to end any realistic title challenge.
Rangers move forward with negotiations towards deal with Celtic target from Europe
Manager Andrew Cavenagh told Rangers fans this week that he is ready to spend the summer on the market.
This collapse was sharp and painful, and Rohr knows he needs to rebuild his team to avoid repeating it.
One of the names on his mind is a familiar name at Ibrox, and it is the manager himself who is driving that pursuit.
Rangers make new approach to Josh Windass after Rolle request
Rangers have taken a new approach to Josh Windass over his return to the club, according to talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs.
The 32-year-old attacking midfielder spent two seasons at Ibrox between 2016 and 2018, scoring 18 goals in his final season, making him joint top scorer with Alfredo Morelos and establishing himself as a firm favorite among supporters.
That summer he moved to Wigan Athletic, but his links with Rangers never completely faded.
This is not the first time the club has tried to lure him back.
Jacobs admitted Rangers tried to sign Windass in January but Wrexham rejected the approach and made it clear midway through the season that they had no intention of selling him.
The Welsh club were aiming to reach the play-offs and believed Windass would be central to their ambitions.
He repaid the trust in spades, scoring 15 goals in the Championship in his debut year at the Racecourse Ground, making him the club’s top scorer for the season.
The move is being driven by Roll, who knows Windass well from their time together at Sheffield Wednesday.
Rolle will manage a “special” midfielder during the 2024/25 season at Hillsborough, with Windass finishing as Owls’ top scorer for the second year in a row with 13 league goals.
The Germans clearly valued his intelligence, versatility and ability to direct at key moments. Those qualities were immediately apparent when Windass moved to Wrexham last summer.
Discussions between the clubs have not yet taken place.
Jacobs’ report reveals that Rangers are currently talking directly with the player to see if he would like to return. Wrexham have a contract with him until 2028 and are under no obligation to sell him, but that could change if Windass makes it clear he wants to return to Glasgow.
For Windass, emotional pull will be important.
He speaks warmly of his time in Scotland and the opportunity to return to a club undergoing a serious rebuild under a manager who believes in him could be hard to resist.
There is no long-term solution for the 32-year-old, but Rohr is looking for experience, character and purpose. On the evidence this season, Windass can provide all three.
Bye-bye, Jigga: Rangers agree personal terms for Rolle’s first summer contract
Rangers are inching closer to signing their first centre-back this summer.
