Philippe Clement believes it is “necessary” for Rangers to strengthen the squad, but admits he doesn’t know if that will happen before the transfer deadline.

Defender Rafael Fernandes is the only new addition at the club in January so far. The 22-year-old has joined on loan from Lille until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent in the summer.

Kieran Dowell and Rabbi Matondo have left Ibrox to join Birmingham City and Hannover on loan for the rest of the campaign.

It was revealed last month that the club had an operating loss of £17.2m in the most recent financial year, but the manager knows new additions are required.

“I think it’s necessary to make a next step with the squad in certain positions,” he told Sky Sports News.

“We will see how far we will get because at the end it’s the board who decide what money can be spent or not.

“It can be that still people leave. Kieran and Rabbi were not playing much and had good wages. Contracts out of the past, not the same contracts that the club can give anymore to new players.

“That’s also one of the reasons that they could go and that they could be replaced by younger players or by new players who can step into the building.”

Rangers secured a place in the Europa League last 16 with a 2-1 victory against Union SG on Thursday night.

The Ibrox side will face one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Fenerbahce in March, skipping the play-off round, after finishing eighth in the table.

“We will see what we get and we need to switch our mind fast now towards the Premiership again to focus on that,” Clement said ahead of Sunday’s game at home to Ross County.

“I think it’s for everybody clear if you don’t have good performances – because it’s about eight games in Europe – you cannot land at that spot.

“There’s been really good performances in Europe, also in the league with our home records we did really good things, but in away games we lost too many points.”