Mark Warburton suggests Rangers could sign striker, with Ryan Hardie to be loaned out

Ryan Hardie is a youngster that most Rangers fans are desperate to see get more gametime this season. He's currently leading a poll on this site for who supporters would most like to see get some gametime against Livingston, and his introduction towards the end of the Cowdenbeath game was well-received.

At just 18, there's no pressure to be playing him every game just yet, but Mark Warburton has suggested that Hardie could go out on loan:

"There is lots of interest and lots of clubs want Ryan Hardie.

"He is a prodigious young goal scoring talent. He is 18 and has been around our first team squad.
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"We have to see what business we do. It is a balancing act to make sure you have the strength and depth in the squad without hindering the progress of a young player.

"If we get the squad right, then maybe there is an option for Ryan. We will wait and see."

So, are we going to attempt to sign another striker? That seems to be the implication. We look a bit light there, with only Kenny Miller and Martyn Waghorn available, and the latter usually playing on the right these days anyway. The only proper number 9 we've been linked to in the window was the Latvian trialist Vladislavs Gutkovskis, but with no news on that front, we can assume we won't be making an offer. That obviously leads us to the Michael O'Halloran transfer rumour, who usually plays on the right but may force Martyn Waghorn back into a central role.

With Hardie's ridiculous scoring record for youth teams both domestic and on the international stage, he's surely deserving of more game time. We'd rather see him get minutes here, but if we do sign another forward, then a loan is probably the best option.