Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has been a busy man throughout the summer transfer window as he has attempted to improve his squad.
The English tactician is still searching for his first trophy in charge of the club after the failure to secure a piece of silverware during the 2022/23 campaign.
Who have Rangers signed this summer?
Beale has reacted to last season’s disappointing by swooping for seven new signings to date; including Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland.
That may not be the end of the club’s business, however, as they still have over a month to make further additions to the team before the deadline passes.
The Light Blues have been linked with a number of centre-forward options to improve their arsenal of weapons in the final third and one name that has emerged this summer is Brandon Vazquez.
How good is Brandon Vazquez?
The USA international, who currently plays for FC Cincinnati, is a promising striker whose form at MLS level suggests he has the potential to be an excellent player by Beale.
His ability to score goals as well as create them could make him the ideal partner for new signing Dowell at Ibrox next term, as the former Norwich ace is a midfielder who can get on the end of an incisive pass or provide one.
Vazquez – once lauded as a "ruthless" machine by football agent Chris Smith – has scored six goals in 21 appearances throughout 2023 but his form throughout 2022 indicates that the quality is there for him to be an outstanding signing and lethal striker.
The talented gem, who has reportedly been valued at up to €10m (£8.7m), plundered 20 goals and eight assists across 37 matches last year, which included 18 strikes in 33 MLS outings.
Whereas, no Rangers striker managed more than 14 goals or five assists throughout the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership campaign, which suggests that the USNMT star could provide a greater threat at the top end of the pitch.
His creativity, in particular, could allow him to thrive alongside Dowell. The ex-Everton prospect scored ten goals in 26 Championship starts across two separate seasons during his time at Carrow Road, whilst Malik Tillman (ten) was the only Gers midfielder to hit double figures last term.
He also created 11 'big chances' for his Canaries teammates at that level, which is more than any Rangers midfielder other than Tillman (12) – who has since returned to Bayern Munich – produced during the 2022/23 league season.
This suggests that Dowell and Vazquez could form an exceptional frontline at Ibrox as they are both capable of being outstanding scorers and creators within their respective positions if they can adapt to Scottish football, which indicates that they could set each other up in the final third.
At the age of 24, the eight-cap sensation would also be the youngest, by two years, striker within the squad and this means that he could be a superb long-term investment by Beale, whilst also having the quality to possibly make an immediate impact in Scotland.