January is a notoriously difficult month to strengthen a squad. It’s infamously harder than the summer window, options are limited, and clubs are often forced into short-term fixes rather than long-term planning.
Over the years, Rangers’ record in the January transfer window has varied, and this list ranks the club’s top ten January signings since the window’s inception, taking into account value for money, their impact during their time at the club, and the honours won following their arrival.
- Ianis Hagi, 2020
The Romanian playmaker arrived from Genk on an initial six-month loan deal in January 2020 amid plenty of fanfare, much of it driven by his potential and his surname.
The son of Romania’s greatest ever player started life at Ibrox with a bang, with a stunning winner against Hibernian, and following it up by scoring two of the three goals in a memorable 3–2 win over Braga in the Europa League.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought the 2019–20 season to a premature end, but Hagi’s impact was enough for Rangers to make the move permanent that summer for a reported £3.5 million. He went on to contribute significantly during his first full season, racking up eight goals and 15 assists as Steven Gerrard’s side clinched title number 55.
A long-term injury the following season kept him out of action until 2023, and a subsequent loan spell away from the club stalled his momentum further. Although he featured regularly during the 2024–25 campaign, Hagi eventually departed Ibrox in the summer of 2025 upon the expiry of his contract and is now plying his trade in Turkey with Antalyaspor.
- Nicolas Raskin, 2023
The only current member of the Rangers squad to feature on this list, Nicolas Raskin, arrived in January 2023 during Michael Beale’s short spell in charge.
An exciting acquisition from Standard Liège, the Belgian midfielder settled quickly into life in Glasgow and showed early signs of becoming a key figure in the centre of midfield. However, injuries and inconsistent form saw Raskin miss a significant portion of the 2023–24 season, stalling his momentum at a crucial stage.
Since returning to fitness, Raskin has re-established himself as a mainstay in midfield, featuring prominently under Philippe Clement, Barry Ferguson, Russell Martin (fallout aside), and now Danny Röhl. His performances have earned him full international recognition with Belgium and marked him out as one of the most important players in the current Rangers side.
Rumours of a big-money move away from Ibrox have circulated over the past 12 months, underlining his growing reputation. However, for Raskin to be considered in the same bracket as those ranked above him, silverware must follow. If he can maintain his form while playing a central role in a Rangers team that regularly wins leagues and cups, he may yet go down as one of the club’s finest January signings.
- Kevin Thomson, 2007
Kevin Thomson was one of Walter Smith’s first signings upon his return to Rangers and was viewed as a shrewd piece of business, given the Hibernian midfielder’s obvious potential. The then Hibs captain arrived at Ibrox in January 2007 for a fee of around £2.3 million.
Thomson’s first half-season at the club was relatively unspectacular, but he showed marked improvement the following campaign. He played his part as Rangers won the League Cup and Scottish Cup, while also narrowly missing out on European glory, finishing runners-up to Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup final. Although Rangers fell short in the league that season, Thomson scored his first goal for the club in memorable fashion, netting the winner in a 1–0 Old Firm victory at Ibrox in March 2008.
Thomson remained at Rangers for a further two seasons, during which he won two league titles, along with another League Cup and Scottish Cup. During this period, he delivered a number of excellent performances and grew into a genuine leader in midfield under Walter Smith’s second spell in charge.
Unfortunately, injuries ultimately hampered Thomson’s time at Ibrox. Long-term fitness issues saw him miss significant periods of football, and he departed for Middlesbrough on a free transfer in the summer of 2010. While he was an excellent player on his day and contributed to a hugely successful era for Rangers, it’s difficult not to wonder what might have been had injuries not repeatedly disrupted his career.
- Glen Kamara, 2019
After a string of standout performances for Dundee, Glen Kamara agreed a pre-contract with Rangers before the club moved quickly to secure his services immediately, paying a nominal £50,000 compensation fee during the January 2019 window. It proved to be one of the smartest pieces of business in recent years.
The Finland international hit the ground running at Ibrox, quickly establishing himself as a regular in midfield. His first goal for the club came against his former side in a 4–0 win over Dundee in March 2019, an early sign of how seamlessly he had settled.
Kamara went on to become a mainstay in the Rangers midfield over the seasons that followed, delivering a series of composed, high-level performances, particularly in European competition. He was a key figure in the side that secured the 2020–21 league title, lifted the Scottish Cup in 2021–22, and reached the Europa League final in Seville. His influence was underlined by a crucial goal in the second leg of the semi-final victory over RB Leipzig at Ibrox.
Kamara departed the club after the 2022–23 season in search of a new challenge, with Rangers selling him to Leeds United in the summer of 2023 for around £5 million. Taking into account the minimal fee paid, the impact he made on the pitch, and the return generated upon his departure, Kamara stands as one of Rangers’ most effective January signings of the modern era.
- Jermaine Defoe, 2019
Another arrival from the January 2019 transfer window came in the form of high-profile striker Jermaine Defoe. The English Premier League veteran was nearing the end of his career and struggling for regular game time at Bournemouth when he agreed to join Steven Gerrard at Ibrox on an 18-month loan deal, with the option of a permanent move.
It was hoped that Defoe’s experience and professionalism, both on and off the pitch, would help Rangers find more goals while also providing much-needed guidance to Alfredo Morelos. Despite the Colombian’s excellent form, he was still rough around the edges, and Defoe was viewed as the perfect mentor and foil.
Defoe’s debut came in a 2–1 defeat to Kilmarnock, but he made an immediate impact by opening the scoring after just three minutes. It set the tone for a productive spell, with the striker scoring 17 goals in 32 appearances during his loan period, and in 2020, he was signed permanently.
With age inevitably catching up with him, Defoe found regular starts harder to come by but continued to make important contributions. He played his part in the 2020–21 title-winning season, scoring in a 4–1 victory over Celtic, and netting the final goal of the league campaign against Aberdeen before the trophy presentation at Ibrox.
Defoe remained at the club the following season as a squad player while also taking on a coaching role, before departing shortly after Gerrard’s move to Aston Villa. He returned to Sunderland, played a handful of games, and retired at the age of 40.
A classic case of “if only we had signed him ten years earlier,” Defoe was a consummate professional with a finishing ability nobody in the league could match. He ended his Rangers career with 32 goals in 72 appearances and will be remembered as a modern-day cult hero at Ibrox.
- Steven Davis, 2019
For the third entry in a row, this signing comes from the January 2019 transfer window, when Rangers turned once again to the English Premier League market, this time bringing Steven Davis back to Ibrox on loan.
The Northern Irishman returned to Rangers after six-and-a-half years away, arriving as a vastly different player to the one who had departed in 2012. It took time for Davis to regain full fitness, but by the start of the 2019–20 season, he had firmly established himself as a crucial part of Steven Gerrard’s side.
No longer the box-to-box engine of his first spell, Davis reinvented himself as a deep-lying midfield controller who was older, wiser, and tactically astute. His influence was immense, and he still delivered in big moments, scoring memorable goals against FC Porto at Ibrox in 2019 and producing a stunning overhead kick against Celtic in a Scottish Cup tie in 2021.
Davis was a central figure in the 2020–21 title-winning side, helping Rangers secure the club’s 55th league championship and earning the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year award for his performances that season. His importance continued under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, as he featured in the Europa League final in 2022, scoring his penalty in the shootout, before adding another Scottish Cup medal days later.
Although he remained at the club for the 2022–23 season, an early injury effectively brought his playing career to a close. A deserved Hall of Famer, Davis’ second spell at Ibrox cemented his status as a modern Rangers legend.
- Kris Boyd, 2005
Boyhood Rangers supporter Kris Boyd was snapped up by Alex McLeish in January 2006 after taking the SPL by storm with his prolific goalscoring exploits for Kilmarnock.
Rangers paid the Ayrshire club around £400,000 for his services, and Boyd made an immediate impact, scoring a hat-trick on his debut in a 5–0 Scottish Cup victory over Peterhead. It was the perfect introduction to life at Ibrox.
The goals continued to flow, with Boyd finishing the 2005–06 season having scored 20 goals in 21 appearances for Rangers. He didn’t stop there. Over the next four seasons, Boyd finished as the club’s top scorer in four successive campaigns, underlining his importance during a highly successful period.
In his final season at Ibrox, 2009–10, Boyd scored five goals in a 7–1 demolition of Dundee United, the same night he became the Scottish Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer. He departed Rangers that summer with an astonishing return of 128 goals in 191 appearances, leaving his place in the club’s modern history secure.
Boyd did return to Ibrox for the 2014–15 season, but it proved a far less successful spell during a difficult period in the club’s history. That second stint, however, does little to diminish the impact of his initial January signing. While he was often omitted from the starting line-up for certain high-profile fixtures, including Old Firm matches, trips to Pittodrie and Tynecastle, and European ties, his goals were vital to Rangers’ success. His ruthless finishing was frequently the difference between points won and dropped, and now a familiar face as a pundit with Sky Sports, Boyd remains a firm fan favourite at Ibrox.
- Barry Ferguson, 2005
Former captain Barry Ferguson returned home to Ibrox in January 2005, a move which, with hindsight, proved pivotal in ensuring the league title returned to Rangers at the end of that season.
Ferguson had departed Rangers in 2003 at the peak of his powers, widely regarded as one of the most sought-after midfielders in Britain after captaining the club to a historic domestic treble. A somewhat surprising move to Blackburn Rovers followed, but his time in Lancashire failed to live up to expectations, and when the opportunity to return arose, Ferguson wasted little time in coming back to Glasgow.
His impact was immediate. Ferguson played a key role in helping Rangers secure both the League Cup and the league title in his first season back, and he was reappointed club captain ahead of the 2005–06 campaign. He remained in that role until early 2007, when a high-profile fallout with manager Paul Le Guen saw him stripped of the armband and placed on the transfer list.
That situation was reversed when Walter Smith returned to the club in January 2007, reinstating Ferguson as captain. He went on to lead Rangers to a domestic cup double in 2008, as well as a memorable run to the UEFA Cup Final. The following season brought further success, with Ferguson helping the club to another league title and Scottish Cup. However, controversy once again followed, this time on international duty, resulting in him being stripped of the captaincy and transfer listed for a second time. He departed Ibrox in the summer of 2009 to rejoin Alex McLeish at Birmingham City.
Now a club ambassador at Ibrox, he also returned in a different capacity as caretaker manager at the end of the 2024–25 season, with notable highlights including a win at Parkhead and guiding Rangers past José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe in the Europa League last 16.
While Ferguson’s first spell arguably showcased him at his very best, his second spell was still one rich in silverware and influence. Despite the controversies that disrupted his second stint, his contribution remains undeniable. A deserved Hall of Famer, Ferguson is, without question, a Rangers legend.
- Steven Davis, 2008
Signed near the end of the January 2008 transfer window, Steven Davis arrived at Ibrox on an initial six-month loan from Fulham for what would become the first spell of his Rangers career. Initially deployed on the right side of midfield, Davis made an immediate impact.
His first goal in blue came in the 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen en route to the 2008 UEFA Cup final. The Northern Irishman played a pivotal role during the second half of the 2007–08 campaign, helping Rangers lift two domestic cups and establish himself as a key figure in Walter Smith’s side.
That form earned Davis a permanent move in the summer of 2008, and his influence only grew from there. Over the next four seasons, he would collect a further six major honours, including three league titles, becoming one of the most consistent and reliable performers at the club. His importance was underlined in 2011 when he was appointed club captain.
Davis departed Ibrox in 2012, leaving as a multiple title winner before going on to enjoy a successful spell with Southampton in the English Premier League. His January arrival proved to be a masterstroke, a low-risk loan that delivered immediate impact and sustained success.
- David Weir, 2007
Number one in the list belongs to Walter Smith’s first signing of his second spell in charge. In January 2007, Rangers were in desperate need of defensive leaders, and Smith went for tried and trusted as he signed David Weir, who had previously played under him at Everton and Scotland. At 36 years old, the Scottish defender was seen as a stopgap to help a rudderless squad badly in need of organisers. his impact was almost instant, as several impressive performances saw him sign permanently in the summer of 2007.
Weir enjoyed great success from then on, winning two cups and playing in the UEFA Cup final in the 07/08 season, then winning the league and Scottish cup the following campaign. The veteran centre back was named club captain for the start of the 2009/10 season, where he would go on to win another two league titles and two league cups, as well as a Scottish Player of the Year award at 40 years old.
He signed on again for the start of the 2011/2012 season under Ally McCoist, but an early-season injury saw him retire at the age of 41. Weir’s Ibrox career is a remarkable one, as a signing who was seen as a temporary fix went on to be fondly remembered as one of the greatest leaders, captains, and legends of the 21st century.
January signings rarely come without risk, but they can define seasons. As the current transfer window threatens to play a pivotal role in the destination of the league title, Rangers once again find themselves relying on the kind of mid-season decisions reflected throughout this list. History shows that getting January right can be the difference between falling short and finishing on top.
With that in mind, let’s hope Danny Rohl is backed with the signings he wants before the end of the month, giving Rangers the chance to make a proper charge at what looks like a more than achievable title triumph.