ALEX McLeish has insisted that the recent trend of outgoings at Ibrox, with Kenny Miller and Claudio Reyna the latest players to depart the club, will not be continued, ending speculation that two more could be on their way out.

The club's record signing, Tore Andre Flo, was rumoured to be attracting the attention of Spanish La Liga side Villareal, but the suggestion that a loan deal until the end of the season, with the option of an (pounds) 8m transfer, was laughed off by the manager, who reiterated the need to bolster his squad rather than further weaken it.

Similarly, Sunderland's attempts to add the injury-ravaged Michael Mols to their squad two weeks after their (pounds) 4m move for Reyna received short shrift.

''I might be young but I'm not stupid,'' said McLeish in response to letting Flo, whose 13 goals so far this season have failed to convince the Rangers support of his worth, go to Spain on a short-term deal or, for that matter, taking a (pounds) 4m loss on the man who joined from Chelsea last year for (pounds) 12m.

The Dutchman's situation is more complex, with his need for games hindered by the winter shutdown of the under-21 league. With persistent doubts over the 31-year-old's ability to fully recover from three knee operations, McLeish acknowledged the fact that he will have to be thrown into first-team action before making a decision on his future.

That the one-time first choice is unable to break into the squad at a time when Rangers employ a three-pronged attack would suggest that Mols' best move would be to leave, but during one of his many one-to-one chats with the first-team squad members, McLeish was assured by the striker that he is committed to giving one last fight for a place.

Indeed, with Shota Arveladze ineligible for the duration of the UEFA Cup campaign, Mols may well be needed for the forth- coming fourth-round tie with Feyenoord. ''There have been a few inquiries about Michael but the problem is we are still in Europe and all we need is to pick up an injury to someone and we would need to call upon Michael,'' said McLeish. ''I have been trying to assess him in training but it is not easy, and with no under-21 games, it is difficult to make a decision.''

McLeish alluded to a lack of motivation from the player in his recent outings with the kids - ''he hasn't been getting as much out of them as he should've but sometimes the foreign guys cannot get their heads round playing in those games'' - yet the patience shown by his predecessor, Dick Advocaat, will continue until Mols proves himself able or other-wise to return to the top level.

''I will have to involve him at some stage soon to see if Michael Mols can return to the standard when Rangers bought him and if he is better than the strikers we are using at the moment. I am going on the advice I have received from the coaches when I came here but I will have to see for myself soon.''

The hectic baptism was further complicated by the loss of Michael Ball for the remainder of the season, after the Liverpudlian underwent an operation on the knee injury which was assessed and passed during the medical before his (pounds) 6.5m move from Everton. The 22-year-old returned from Colorado earlier this week and will begin an intensive and lengthy rehabilitation over the festive period.

''His operation was successful but we will not see him this season,'' he said. ''Long-term, it was the right thing to do.''

Short-term signings, Alex previously intimated, are the priority, with midfield a particularly pressing matter. Negotiations with one unidentified target have reached an impasse but he hopes to be able to bulk up the squad soon. ''We have to go one step at a time but we need an engine-room-type player because in recent weeks Barry Ferguson has been the only experienced midfielder in the squad.''

He expects a less than cordial reception on his return to Easter Road, despite making them a major force again in the SPL three years after their relegation to the first division, but is prepared to be subjected to some ''light-hearted banter'' from a vociferous minority. ''I won't patronise people by pleading for mercy, I'll take it on the chin. I have spoken to a couple of Hibs fans since I left and they were very supportive. I had four good years there. Now its is a new era with Franck [Sauzee] in charge and, hopefully, I will come away from there with three points.''

Craig Moore, the Australian who bears more than a passing resemblance to the new manager in his younger days, has noted a freshness and eagerness to impress among the squad and revealed that the former Aberdeen stalwart has paid particular attention to a defence which has conceded 17 goals in 20 league matches.

''He has taken a few of us aside and one of the things he has made clear is that he wants a back-to- basics approach to defending,'' said Moore, who was excused from any internal punishment

following his ordering off against Motherwell last weekend.

The defender, who spent most of last year on the sidelines with knee ligament damage, believes he is finally approaching top form and is determined to help restore defensive assuredness alongside Lorenzo Amoruso. ''Now that I have had a regular run of games I'm feeling my form has come back, I'm stronger, and haven't picked up any silly injuries.''