Ferguson dubbed Rangers man a “great signing”, then he left after 8 games

It is safe to say that Glasgow Rangers‘ business in the transfer window over the previous few years has been sketchy, to say the least.

Of course, there have been a few gems. Steven Gerrard signed youngsters such as Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey, who departed for £6m and £20m respectively, after productive spells at Ibrox.

Despite the lack of real success on the pitch since the League title was won in 2021, signings such as Mohamed Diomande, Dujon Sterling and Jefte suggest Philippe Clement is going for a youth-based approach in a bid to make a serious profit in the near future.

Some may argue that the side have regressed to where the club was prior to Gerrard’s appointment in May 2018, especially considering the club’s record against Celtic.

Hopefully, things get better under the Belgian, as the Ibrox faithful are still clearly traumatised by the period between 2016 and 2018, as Mark Warburton and Pedro Caixinha failed to make an impact in the top flight.

The Englishman did return the Gers to the Premiership, but things soon started to unfold during the 2016/17 season, especially after a poor summer in the transfer market.

Mark Warburton’s signings for Rangers

The Ibrox side swept everything aside during the 2015/16 campaign, securing the Second tier title with ease as new signings such as James Tavernier, Jason Holt and Andy Halliday settled in rather well at the club.

The moment the Championship crown was secured, thoughts turned to life back in the top flight. Of course, no one was expecting a title challenge, especially after spending four long years outside the top division.

“My expectation is that we have to go into that league and be highly competitive,” Warburton said before the start of the season.

“We have to be a very tough team to beat and break down, and we must go into games expecting to win them.”

One thing that the former Brentford manager would have to get right is recruitment, yet the Gers failed to bring in the necessary quality to inspire a title challenge.

The likes of Joe Garner, Clint Hill, Jordan Rossiter and Philippe Senderos added a mixture of youth and experience to the squad, but they all failed to make an impression during their time at Rangers.

One signing that did stand out, however, was that of Joey Barton. The Englishman arrived with massive hype generated among the supporters and pundits alike, but the reality was very different…

Joey Barton’s arrival at Rangers

The once-capped England midfielder linked up with Warburton in July 2016, having plenty of experience in the Premier League.

He had even been named as Burnley’s player of the year as they claimed the Championship title, sealing a return to the top-flight in the process.

“At Rangers, he will hope to compete for trophies and be asked to be a figure of authority and know-how to help develop younger players,” said BBC Sport journalist Richard Wilson.

With a player of this quality added to the heart of the midfield, Warburton had a wealth of experience which looked like it could prove to be vital.

As the season began, it soon transpired that things were going to be much more difficult than imagined, especially as the performances on the pitch were not up to the required standard.

Joey Barton’s statistics at Rangers

Despite being 33 when he signed for the Light Blues, Barton was expected to go straight into the starting XI under Warburton.

A substitute appearance against Annan Athletic during the group stage of the League Cup suggested he was being eased into proceedings by the manager, but he did start against Stranraer and Peterhead, as a win against the Highland side saw Rangers through to the quarter-finals.

In the Premiership, the former Manchester City gem started the first five games of the season, but the first Old Firm clash of the campaign against Celtic would prove to be his final appearance for the club.

With the media going wild regarding a clash between Barton and Celtic captain Scott Brown, the actual game was a non-contest, as the Gers suffered a dismal 5-1 defeat.

It was the aftermath of that match which was Barton’s undoing, however…

Joey Barton’s exit from Rangers

Following a training ground incident with Andy Halliday after the Old Firm loss, Barton was suspended for six weeks by the club. In November, it was announced that Rangers had terminated his contract and he eventually returned to Burnley.

Overall, he ended up featuring just eight times for the Glasgow side and former captain Barry Ferguson had his say on the matter after Barton was suspended in September, saying: “I don’t see a way back now.

“I’m disappointed because I was excited when he joined Rangers. I thought he would have been a great signing, but I don’t think he’ll play again.”

A great signing he was not, failing to look like the player who made an appearance for his national side in 2007, while racking up a total of 269 appearances in the Premier League for four clubs.

Warburton ended up departing Rangers just a few months later in what was yet another controversial decision, as the Gers ended up finishing the season in third place, behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

Hopes were undoubtedly high when Barton was announced as a Rangers player in 2016, as many felt he could add something different to the midfield, despite his reputation for being an outspoken and often controversial player.

It was clearly a gamble Warburton was willing to take, but it didn’t pay off. It was just one of the many signings the club made during this period that didn’t work out, seeing the Gers pay big wages and sometimes lavish fees in the process.

Hopefully, Clement has learned from his predecessors in the role as he hopes to change the club’s transfer strategy going forward.