The Ibrox desperation tour is officially in full swing

If you thought the Scottish Premiership off-season would be a quiet affair, I have some waterfront property in Govan to sell you. Rangers are reportedly putting the full-court press on Leicester City winger Stephy Mavididi. It feels like a move born out of pure, unadulterated panic rather than a structured plan to close the gap on their rivals.

We all know the script by now. Philippe Clement is staring down a squad that looks more like a collection of polite guests than a pack of hungry wolves. Chasing a player of Mavididiโ€™s profile suggests the front office is throwing everything against the wall to see if something sticks before the season opener kicks off.

The revolving door at the Govan departure lounge

It isn't just about fresh faces coming through the door at Ibrox. The rumor mill is churning with reports that a key Scotland defender could be heading south of the border for a payday. Losing foundational pieces while simultaneously trying to overhaul the wing positions is the football equivalent of changing a tire while the car is doing 90 on the motorway.

You have to admire the optimism of trying to negotiate deals while your own backline is seemingly being sold off for parts. If Rangers fans are feeling a bit nauseous, it is because they have seen this movie before, and the third act is usually a heart-wrenching montage of missed crosses and defensive lapses.

The other side of Glasgow is doing business quietly

While the blue half of Glasgow is busy setting its hair on fire over Mavididi, Celtic is busy plotting their own moves. I hear they are sniffing around the Utrecht forward market as BBC Sport recently noted. It is classic Celticโ€”they stay focused on specific technical profiles while the rest of the league is distracted by the circus.

This is the part where I have to be the grumpy guy at the bar. If you look at the track record of recent signings in this division, the hit rate is dismal. We are talking about guys coming in for significant fees only to disappear faster than a pint of lager on a humid Friday night.

Can Mavididi actually move the needle?

Letโ€™s get real about Stephy Mavididi. He has the flair, sure, but does he have the grit required to survive a rainy Tuesday night in Dingwall? That is the question no scout seems to answer correctly until after the contract is signed and the jersey is in the gift shop window.

If this deal goes through, expect the manager to talk about him like heโ€™s the savior of the franchise. Then, four weeks later, heโ€™ll be on the bench after a string of poor performances. It is a tale as old as time, and frankly, I am tired of seeing clubs mistake speed for quality.

Perhaps I am being too cynical, but this is the reality of the market right now. The pressure on the recruitment team is massive, and we are reaching a point where every domino that falls changes the entire internal math of the title race. Wake me up when someone actually signs a contract instead of just flirting with one.