Glasgow Rangers return to domestic action this weekend following the prolonged international break and Philippe Clement will be hoping his side can continue from where they left off.
Six wins and a draw in his first seven matches is a positive start, but the foot must not be taken off the gas as the club face 12 matches in just 38 days, starting with a tie against Aberdeen this Sunday.
If the Ibrox side can emerge from this period unscathed, then Clement could delve into the transfer market to add another fresh face or two to his squad.
Rangers transfer news
At the start of the month, the Scottish Sun claimed the Gers were showing an interest in centre-back Nathaniel Adjei as Clement aims to bolster his defensive options.
Old Firm rivals Celtic are also keeping tabs on the defender, along with some European sides, as the race for his signature heats up.
The Light Blues could have received a recent boost, however, as Sunderland – who were credited with an interest in the youngster – won’t be making a move for him in January.
With reinforcements needed at Ibrox ahead of the second half of the season, especially if European progress is secured, Clement could now make a more concrete approach for the player.
It could take a fee of around £3m to lure him to Glasgow and this could be the only stumbling block.
Nathaniel Adjei’s season in numbers
The Gers have enjoyed previous success with recruiting players from Scandinavia, as Alfredo Morelos joined from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017, and enjoyed a wonderful six-year spell in Glasgow.
Indeed, the Colombian not only scored 124 goals for the club – becoming only the 18th post-war player to reach that total for the Gers in 2021 – but he is also the top scorer in European competition for the Light Blues.
This proves that there is quality to be found in Scandinavia and Adjei could have a similar impact, albeit at the other end of the pitch, should he move to the Premiership side.
For Hammarby last season, Adjei ranked fifth across the squad for accurate passes (40.8) along with ranking third for accurate long balls (3.5) and third for clearances per game (2.7), clearly impressing in the Swedish top flight.
His physicality is arguably one of his best traits as he won 61% of his ground duels while also winning 62% of his aerial duels in the league last term and this attribute could allow him to slot easily into the heart of the defence at Ibrox.
The Ghanaian was even dubbed a “physical monster” by Kai Watson – who runs the informative Rangers Journal – and he would be a colossus alongside Connor Goldson.
It didn’t take Morelos long to settle in following his move from Finland, as he scored 18 goals during his debut campaign, and Adjei could certainly follow in his footsteps.
Clement will be desperate to add at least one or two new faces to his squad in January and, at just 21 years old, Adjei fits the profile of a player who could be ready for first-team action straight away, while also having the potential to develop into a star.
The next few weeks could be very interesting indeed.