MINDBOGGLING. That’s the word that springs to mind when you hear the likes of Jermain Defoe, Lucas Leiva and Fernando Torres being linked with Rangers.

I’ve been excited since Steven Gerrard came into the club as manager. I’d like to wait until there’s a press conference and players are signed before I believe it’s going to happen, and I’m sure the biggest percentage of Rangers fans will be the same, but since he’s come in, some of the names being bandied about have been incredible.

It’s something that any other manager coming in wouldn’t be able to attract.

Read more: Derek Johnstone: Jason Cummings faces race to impress new boss at Rangers​

The man and his reputation mean that people simply want to play for him. Scott Arfield’s hero was Steven Gerrard and that’s one of the main reasons he’s here.

Defoe would be a sensational signing. Wherever he’s gone, he’s scored goals.

Names like these are something the Rangers fans can look forward to for the rest of the summer. For a decade Rangers fans have had nothing to shout about. There’s not been an awful lot of hope but now there’s genuine feeling something is about to happen for the first time in a long time.

And when you hear some of the names it doesn’t surprise me because Rangers know what they have to do. They’ve been so far behind for most of that decade, they have to do something big and this is it. Only time will tell whether Gerrard is the right man but this is the biggest thing to happen to this club since Gazza, Laudrup and Souness arrived. That’s how big this is.

I’ve no doubt there’ll be big quality coming in. The problem will be trying to get rid of the ones he’s got.

Read more: Derek Johnstone: Don’t write off Motherwell for cup final heroics​

Gerrard will be bringing in people who can hit the ground running. I’d like to think that from the last Rangers game against Hibs and the first one next season, the majority of players will be new ones.

Defoe isn’t going to get the huge money he’s been on. But he’s a man who has made his money and him and Gerrard will be close being ex-England players. Gerrard will be saying to Defoe, ‘Come up and make yourself a hero.’

And there will be plenty wanting to come up just to play for him. We can’t be talking about bringing in Under-18s for a season now. We’ve tried it, and it doesn’t work.

The whole spine of the team needs replaced and that’s what he’s going to do. I know Gerrard is still at Liverpool and he has TV commitments but he’ll be on the phone every day to Mark Allen telling him who he needs.

It’s not an issue these players are all around 30 or older and Rangers have been down that road before where it’s maybe not worked.

These are players he knows himself. He’s only finished playing a couple of seasons ago. He has played with or against them and he knows exactly what they can do – that’s different from a Pedro Caixinha or a Graeme Murty.

Read more: Derek Johnstone: Jason Cummings faces race to impress new boss at Rangers​

Rangers fans will be thinking these are the type of names that can challenge Celtic in Gerrard’s first season, but they have to be realistic.

He has to improve the home record. And he has to bring in the right quality and mindset.

That’s why he’s looking at experience.

Allan McGregor has cost him nothing. Same as Scott Arfield – they’ve cost him a wage because there’s no fee to be paid.

I had a wee laugh when I heard about Torres, but then thought, ‘I wonder...’ They were the best of pals at Liverpool and if Steven says to him, ‘Don’t retire, come here for a season and give me a hand’...

That’s what he needs – good experienced men who can still play. It’ll take him two or three windows to bring in the players he wants, he’s not going to do it all in the summer. But what he needs are players who can get him through the European ties in the summer and win the vast majority of home games.

You can name me all the names you want – but let’s see on July 12 when that first European tie starts. Then we can believe it.