Rangers and Celtic both enjoyed a busy January transfer window with nine arrivals between them, but the Old Firm clubs could go to battle again this summer for a £5m forward who failed to move in January.
The Ibrox outfit added Andreas Skov Olsen and Ryan Naderi to their frontline for Danny Rohl, while the Hoops brought in Junior Adamu, Tomas Cvancara and Joel Mvuka to Parkhead for Martin O’Neill.
Having faced a serious challenge for the Scottish Premiership title from Hearts this term, coupled with their own poor form at times, it could be another big transfer window for Rangers and Celtic in the summer with attack likely to be a priority again.
Rangers and Celtic Wanted Maswanhise
Celtic were the club most heavily linked with a move for Motherwell forward Tawanda Maswanhise during the January transfer window, with O’Neill even scouting the talented Zimbabwe international live.
In the final days of the window, it was reported that the Hoops and Rangers were willing to go to battle to bring in the £5m forward if other transfers failed to pay off.
That scenario never materialised for a player their rivals were unwilling to lose that late in the window, although Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou has confirmed there were last-minute offers for the prolific attacker, none of which were entertained on deadline day.
Ahead of the Wednesday night Scottish Premiership fixtures, Maswanhise leads the scoring charts with 13 goals, ahead of Benjamin Nygren and Lawrence Shankland as he continues to shine in front of goal for the Well.
Rangers Must Beat Celtic to Maswanhise in Summer
While Motherwell were unwilling to sell for a reasonable fee in the January transfer window, that could change when we reach the summer for a player who is showing he has the ability to play for a bigger club.
It would be no surprise if Rangers and Celtic continue to monitor him and then make another move in a few months’ time, but Gers have the perfect opportunity to steal a march on their arch-rivals for his signature.
The Ibrox club know that Rohl will be their manager next season, so they can start to work on targets and build a stronger squad for the 2026-27 campaign.
Meanwhile, it is clear that O’Neill in particular is a big fan of Maswanhise, but with the Northern Irishman currently unlikely to still be in charge at Celtic Park next term, there is a lot more uncertainty around the Bhoys right now.
In that regard, Rangers need to make their move quickly and that stability could be a key factor for the Zimbabwean too, if he chooses to continue his career at a higher level in Scotland.