Murty admits he won’t have final say on January transfers

Rangers caretaker boss Graeme Murty has confessed Mark Allen will have the final say on the Light Blues’ January transfer targets.

While Murty has seen his run in charge of the first team extended until the end of the month at least, he confirmed director of football Mark Allen retains overall command of player recruitment.

The interim manager is part of the discussion group weighing up areas of weakness in the squad and potential new signings.

But for now former Manchester City academy boss Allen will have the last word.

“Our recruitment department and Mark are looking at targets,” he explained.

“They are looking at players with the characteristics required to play for this football club.

“I’m not involved in identifying targets, I’m involved in identifying characteristics and areas of the squad we need to strengthen.

“We’re in daily discussions but as it comes closer to that time and to individual players, you’ll have to talk to Mark because he’s in charge of that side of it at the moment in our current set-up.

“I haven’t been told anything is going to stop us getting a player that we like. But similarly I haven’t yet been that detailed with specific targets as yet.

“That will just have to take care of itself when January comes.”

The matter could yet be complicated if Rangers finally make progress in their search for a new manager in the next few weeks.

And Murty conceded the Light Blues risk missing out on their top targets while they focus on the concluding their long-running hunt for Pedro Caixinha’s replacement.

“It’s possible,” he said at his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s clash with Hibernian at Easter Road.

“But to be perfectly honest I think we’re buying a bit of trouble if we get focused on it. The squad is as it is at the moment.”

Versatile Ross McCrorie missed training yesterday after injuring his foot during Saturday’s win over Ross County, while back-up goalkeeper Jak Alnwick (ankle) is also a doubt for tonight’s match.

Ryan Jack is suspended while fellow midfielder Graham Dorrans has flown to London to see a specialist about his ankle problem.

Interim boss Graeme Murty.