Glasgow Rangers went through a summer of change as former head coach Michael Beale was allowed to make widespread alterations to his playing squad.
The likes of Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield were allowed to leave on free transfers, whilst Antonio Colak and Glen Kamara, among others, were sold by the Scottish giants.
These exits allowed the English tactician to dip into the market to make nine new additions of his own to improve his side for the 2023/24 campaign.
Leon Balogun, Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Jose Cifuentes, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland all arrived on permanent deals, alongside a loan swoop for Brighton & Hove Albion forward Abdallah Sima.
Beale's recruitment did not provide him with the desired results to keep the board happy, though, as he was relieved of his duties last month and replaced by Belgian boss Philippe Clement.
However, not all of the ex-Gers assistant's moves in the transfer window were complete failures. One decision that already looks to have been a smart one is the sale of Colak to Italian side Parma, as the striker has struggled to find his form in front of goal this season.
Colak's goal record for Rangers
The Croatia international arrived at Ibrox from Greek giants PAOK in the summer of 2022 under Giovanni van Bronckhorst's management and had a mixed year in Scotland.
Colak hit the ground running for the Light Blues with a superb return of 14 goals and three assists in 24 competitive appearances for the Dutch head coach, which is a return of more than one goal every other game on average.
His form, however, dipped after Beale arrived during the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The experienced marksman only scored four goals and provided one assist in 15 matches under the English tactician's guidance.
He also failed to perform in Europe as his six Champions League appearances did not leave a positive impression. The lightweight lost a staggering 74% of his duels and failed to provide a single goal or assist in the competition, with two 'big chances' missed for the centre-forward.
Overall, though, Colak ended the 2022/23 campaign with an impressive record in the Scottish Premiership. He recorded 14 goals and one assist in 18 league starts for Rangers, although ten of those came within the first nine games of the term.
Livingston
Zero
Kilmarnock
One
St. Johnstone
One
Hibernian
Zero
Ross County
Two
Celtic
Zero
Dundee United
Two
Hearts
Two
St. Mirren
Two
This shows that the Croatian finisher came flying out of the blocks as a clinical and lethal goalscorer for the Gers but was unable to sustain it throughout the remainder of the season.
He struggled badly under Beale, as evidenced by his return of one goal every 3.75 outings, and his lack of form in front of goal made his sale earlier this year a reasonable one.
Colak's goal record for Parma
The Croatia international was ditched by Beale over the summer as Serie B side Parma swooped in to secure his services for a reported fee of £2.5m.
Rangers' then-boss hailed the number nine's class and how he handled the situation – referencing his decision to speak with the players and staff to say his goodbyes during pre-season with no bad feelings on either side.
It was, therefore, an amicable split that suited both parties. Colak was able to leave and find a new club after struggling during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and the Light Blues were able to rake in a sizeable fee for a player who had been underperforming in the months leading up to the window.
His woes have, unfortunately, continued in Italy as the 30-year-old dynamo has only scored three goals in 11 Serie B matches and has failed to establish himself as a regular starter for his side.
The ex-Rangers striker has only started three league games for the second division outfit and has struggled to deal with the physicality of the league, with a dismal duel success rate of 25%.
These statistics show that the former Malmo star has not offered a consistent attacking threat and has been bullied by opposition defenders, who have found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.
His struggles throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far are emphasised by the fact that he has scored fewer goals than current Rangers striker Dessers, who has done little to impress since his move to Ibrox.
Dessers' goal record for Rangers
The Light Blues snapped up the Nigeria international from Italian side Cremonese for an initial fee of €5m (£4.3m), per journalist Fabrizio Romano, to bolster their attacking options.
However, the 28-year-old dud has not been able to provide a reliable presence at the top end of the pitch for the Scottish giants with his weak hold-up play and inconsistent finishing.
Dessers has scored three goals in ten Premiership outings and already missed a staggering ten 'big chances' in front of goal, which shows that he has not been able to make the most of the opportunities that his teammates have been providing him with.
The right-footed flop has also lost a whopping 79% of his ground duels in the Scottish top-flight, with opposition players being able to comfortably dominate him on the deck.
His European exploits have also left a lot to be desired as the striker has failed to provide a goal or an assist in three Europa League outings, and has lost 81% of his duels.
However, Dessers did score in the Champions League qualifiers and managed one goal in the League Cup for Rangers earlier this season, which means that he has scored two more goals than Colak at club level during the 2023/24 campaign for their respective clubs.
Overall, Beale struck gold with the decision to sell the Croatia international for £2.5m during the summer transfer window as his woeful form in the second half of last season for Rangers and in the opening months of this term for Parma suggest that he would not have been a good option for Clement.
Colak has been outscored by Dessers and has not been able to start games on a regular basis in the second division of Italian football, which is why the Gers could look back on the fee they received for his services and be happy with their business.