Glasgow Rangers recently completed their seventh addition of the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business in the middle of June.
The Ibrox side welcomed Hamza Igamane to Rangers on a permanent deal from FAR Rabat to bolster Philippe Clement's attacking options.
Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has wasted little time in making moves to improve the squad after Rangers failed to win the Scottish Premiership title last season.
Jefte, Liam Kelly, Oscar Cortes, Mohammed Diomande, Connor Barron, and Clinton Nsiala have also been snapped up by the Ibrox giants this summer.
Meanwhile, Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and John Lundstram all moved on as free agents when their contracts expired at the end of May.
Their departures freed up wages and space in the squad for Koppen and Clement to make moves to bring players in, and their work may not be done yet.
There are still just under two months left in the window for Rangers to make further signings to give themselves the best chance of competing for more trophies next term, and they are reportedly eyeing up a new winger to compete on the flanks.
Rangers eyeing new winger
According to EspacioCruzado, the Light Blues are one of a number of teams in the battle to sign Universidad Catolica forward Gonzalo Tapia this summer.
The report claims that 'various sources' have confirmed that the Scottish giants are one of the three sides keeping tabs on the 22-year-old winger ahead of next season.
CSKA Moscow and Anderlecht are also said to be eyeing up the talented young attacker, which means that the Gers are facing competition from other clubs to land his signature.
It does not, however, state how much the Chilean outfit are looking for in order to cash in on the wide man before the end of the transfer window.
Whether or not Rangers are prepared to formalise their interest with an offer to sign him this year, or if they want to wait for a future window, also remains to be seen.
The Light Blues are currently tracking his situation and performances and it may be one that they have with a future season in mind, if they do not move for him now.
If they do decide to press ahead and secure a deal for the Chile U23 international, though, then they could land their next version of Ross McCausland, and a possible upgrade on the Northern Irish whiz.
Ross McCausland's debut season in numbers
The right-sided attacker became a regular at first-team level for the first time last season as Clement brought him into the senior team and handed the winger plenty of opportunities to impress.
McCausland went on to rack up 39 appearances in all competitions for Rangers but failed to provide consistent quality in the final third, with a return of four goals and five assists.
The 21-year-old ace still has plenty of time on his side to develop and add better end product to his play at the top end of the pitch, but his performances last season do not suggest that he is ready to be an integral figure in the Gers attack.
Appearances
29
Starts
15
Goals
3
Assists
4
Big chances created
3
As you can see in the table above, McCausland was only directly involved in seven goals in 29 appearances in the Premiership for the Light Blues, as they fell short of winning the title.
This shows that the Northern Ireland international was not a consistent provider for the Gers, which is why he should not be relied upon as a regular starter next season if the Ibrox side want to compete for the top-flight crown.
His performances in the Europa League for the Scottish giants also illustrated that point as the winger managed one goal and zero assists in five appearances in the competition before they were knocked out by Benfica.
Rangers could now land McCausland 2.0 by signing another young right winger with the potential to improve over the years to come, whilst possibly coming in as an immediate upgrade on the Northern Irishman.
Why Gonzalo Tapia could be a Ross McCausland upgrade
Firstly, Tapia is a right-footed forward who predominantly plays on the right side of the attack, which means that he operates in a similar role to the current Gers whiz.
At the age of 22, he is also only one year older than McCausland and this means that they are both players who have scope to develop under Clement's and his staff's coaching as they gain more experience on the pitch, in matches and in training.
However, where they may differ is in the quality they provide on the pitch as Tapia's performances for his current club during the 2024 campaign indicate that the Chilean ace could be an upgrade.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed Tapia as a "flamboyant" winger with "8.5/10" potential, whilst likening him to Italy and Juventus star Federico Chiesa, which shows how highly rated he has been in scouting circles.
Whilst he may not be at that level just yet, his displays this year have caught the eye, leading to interest from Rangers, with his ability as a scorer and a creator of goals.
Appearances
29
15
Sofascore rating
6.98
7.19
Goals
3
5
Assists
4
3
Big chances created
3
3
As you can see in the table above, Tapia has already contributed more direct goal contributions in 15 league outings this year than McCausland did in almost twice as many games in the Premiership last season.
This suggests that the Gers target is more likely to make an impact at the top end of the pitch from a right wing position if he can translate that form over to Scotland.
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Therefore, the 5 foot 10 Universidad Catolica star could come in as McCausland 2.0 in style whilst also being an upgrade on the academy graduate.