Power is rarely taken quietly. It is seized, asserted, and displayed in ways that leave no room for misinterpretation. At Ibrox, where memory is long and rivalry is sacred, there is a growing sense that this moment is not about patience or courtesy. It is about dominance. Rangers are a club forged by confrontation, sharpened by history, and driven by the belief that superiority must be proven publicly, unapologetically, and without compromise.
This is an institution that understands symbolism. Every era-defining Rangers side has known how to strike at the heart of its greatest rival — not only on the pitch, but in the moments that shape morale, confidence, and identity. Right now, the blue half of Glasgow senses vulnerability across the city. Opportunity has presented itself, and Rangers appear ready to exploit it with ruthless precision.
Because this January is no longer about recruitment alone.
It is about humiliation.
Rangers are deliberately positioning themselves to hijack Celtic’s priority transfer targets, with the clear intention of reducing their rivals to a January laughing stock. The message being crafted behind closed doors is stark: whatever Celtic want, Rangers want more — and are prepared to pay, move faster, and strike harder to ensure it.
At the centre of the latest storm is Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, a name Celtic supporters had already begun to imagine in green and white. Instead, Rangers have surged aggressively into the race, prepared to obliterate their own transfer record to snatch the deal and leave Celtic empty-handed. What was once optimism at Parkhead is now edging toward dread.
This strategy is no coincidence. Under Danny Röhl, Rangers have adopted an assertive, almost confrontational transfer posture — one designed not merely to strengthen their own squad, but to destabilise their fiercest rivals. Each hijacked target is intended to chip away at Celtic’s confidence, exposing a recruitment window that has drifted from ambition into paralysis.
If completed, the Ceballos deal would smash the £12 million Tore André Flo record and stand as the most provocative signing in modern Scottish football. A three-time Champions League winner choosing Ibrox over Celtic Park would be more than a sporting decision — it would be a public verdict on direction, stature, and momentum.
Inside Celtic circles, frustration is reportedly boiling. January was supposed to be a window of reinforcement, a platform to push on and consolidate domestic dominance. Instead, it is fast becoming a period of damage control, where missed targets pile up and questions grow louder. Fans are already being warned to temper expectations, with whispers that no major signings may arrive at all.
“This is Rangers twisting the knife,”
“They are not just strengthening — they are stripping Celtic of belief, target by target.”
For Rangers supporters, the thrill lies not only in who arrives at Ibrox, but in who doesn’t arrive at Parkhead. Every failed Celtic negotiation fuels the narrative that the balance of power is shifting once more. This is how rivalries are reshaped — not through words, but through outcomes.
Celtic now face a sobering reality. This is no longer a title race fought on even ground. If January closes without meaningful additions, regrouping will be unavoidable. A rebuild may be required sooner than planned, and the idea of challenging on multiple fronts could quickly unravel.
As the window ticks down, Rangers continue to loom over every Celtic move, ready to intercept, outbid, and embarrass. Whether it ends with Ceballos or another marquee name, the intent is unmistakable.
Rangers are no longer chasing.
They are hunting.
