MARK WARBURTON wants Rangers to be one of the go-to clubs for English Premier League teams to send their best young players to in a bid to progress their career.

Emerson Hyndman, of Bournemouth, has signed a loan deal until the end of the season, with Arsenal’s Jon Toral on his way to Glasgow last night to agree the same terms.

Two callow youths, one at 20 the other 21, are not going to win Rangers the league. The two midfielders might help secure second place this season, help with a Scottish Cup run and even get a much-needed win over Celtic, but their time in Glasgow will be brief and no matter what talent they possess, it’s going to be difficult for either to make much of a mark.

However, that’s not really the point. If Warburton can sell Rangers as the place where young fringe players can kick-on and return to their parent clubs improved both on and off the field, then Premier League managers will be far keener to answer a call from Ibrox.

This is the market where Rangers should be looking. With money sparse, and that’s putting it lightly, there is nothing wrong with Warburton’s plan. If it comes off.

He said: “Here is a young player and, so, can we sent them back a better player? Then we get a reputation for taking young players and making them better. I do honestly believe it’s about relationships, it’s about sharing a relationship, which is worthwhile to all concerned. If we can do that we will be in an okay place.”

We shall see how Hyndman and Toral do. They should be fit and raring to prove themselves. There would be something gravely wrong were that not the case.

Warburton had to add midfielders by hook or crook. Aberdeen have a game in hand over Rangers which if they win would take them above their bosom buddies. Second place is far from guaranteed. It certainly wouldn’t be if the manager hadn’t many these acquisitions.

He said: “I think it’s a difficult window. It’s far more difficult than the summer, that’s for sure, for the obvious reasons. Teams which have good players don’t want to lose them. Right now they will keep their best and teams that are struggling look to change things and end up paying over the top for players. It’s a tough window.

“From our point of view, for a club like Rangers, the stature, the expectation, we have got to keep on building slowly and use our links, contacts and relationships to add quality to the squad. It’s never about number. It’s about adding quality in key areas.

“Now we recognise that Joey (Barton) left the club, Niko (Kranjcar) got injured and Jordan (Rossiter) is struggling now. We have lost three midfielders straight way and Josh Windass has had a few niggles.

“So we had to add some quality and hopefully, with these two coming in, we can do that and will be in a better place.”

Rangers’ supporters, for the most part, live in the real world. It can be a nasty place. The signing of Hyndman won't be overly exciting to some, although that might be harsh on the American under-20 captain who journey to Ibrox has been a brave one.

Warburton, speaking to Rangers TV, said: “I watched him at Fulham, a really courageous boy, and I had dinner with him last night.

“For a boy at 15 to leave Dallas, his home and mum and dad, and come over to Europe and have trials around big clubs – the Sporting Lisbon’s, Liverpool’s, Newcastle’s – you have to have real character, a strength of character, to do that and to make the decision to move to London with Fulham.

“He had four of five offers on the table in different countries, he made a decision and he adapted to it really well. He’s a very talented passer, a very talented playmaker and has a good attitude; slight in frame but a real robustness about what he does.

“He got an expensive move to Bournemouth and I know Eddie rates him very highly. All thanks to Bournemouth and Eddie (Howe) as well because they were complimentary about our playing style here at Rangers and it was a big decision. He’s one of their young assets so we have got to look after that asset and fingers crossed send him back a better player.”

Joe Garner, meanwhile, will find out today how long he will be out for when he gets his final scan on the shoulder he dislocated early on against Celtic on Hogmanay.

The striker has become something of a cult hero and while it would be fair to say he’s yet to find his best form in Scotland, the English striker does bring a physicality to the Rangers team which no other possesses.

Warburton said: “He’s rugged Joe, he’s robust and our obvious concern is that we have to watch Joe and look after him. You always look after the health and welfare of any player but also recognise the way Joe plays the game. He’s aggressive, he’s all out, and he’s fearless in the way he plays.

“He has a scan on Wednesday. We’re very hopeful that the way he has recovered dramatically, in terms of the strength he has shown and the movement in the limb already, means we get good news from the scan and it won’t be too long to keep him out. We do what’s right for Joe Garner so hopefully it will be good news.”