MARK WARBURTON hopes he can continue to exploit his network of contacts in England to add strength and depth to his Rangers squad.

The Ibrox boss completed his first deal of the January window with the capture of Emerson Hyndman this week as the Bournemouth kid signed on until the end of the campaign.

He is now set to be joined by midfielder Jon Toral as he prepares to complete a temporary switch from Arsenal after cutting short his time in La Liga with Granada.

Warburton has used the loan market regularly throughout his managerial career and the 54-year-old is keen to forge further links with clubs south of the border.

He said: “I think it is a difficult window. It is far more difficult than the summer that is for sure, for the obvious reasons.

“The teams that have good players don’t want to lose them, they are riding high and don’t want to lose their best players. Teams that are struggling look to go and change it and probably pay over the top for players.

“It is a tough window. From our point of view, at a club like Rangers and with the stature of the club, there is expectation and we have got to keep on building slowly.

“Use our links, use our contacts and relationships to add quality to the squad. It is never about numbers. It is about adding quality in key areas.

“Joey (Barton) left the club, we lost Niko (Kranjcar) to injury, Jordan (Rossiter) has struggled with injury, so we lost three in midfield straight away. Josh (Windass) had a few niggles, as did Crooksy (Matt Crooks), so we had to add some quality there.

“We hope to have at least two coming in and if we can do that then we will be in a better place.”

The capture of Hyndman was Warburton’s first foray into the market this month as he attempts to bolster his Light Blues ranks.

The American burst onto the scene with Fulham last season before winning a move to Bournemouth in the summer.

He will now look to make his mark at Ibrox before returning to the south coast to bid for a place in Eddie Howe’s Cherries squad next term.

Warburton said: “I watched him at Fulham, a really courageous boy, and I had dinner with him [on Sunday 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 Lisbons, Liverpools, Newcastles – 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 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.”

Hyndman could make his Gers bow against RB Leipzig this weekend as Rangers warm-up for their Scottish Cup clash with Motherwell after the international break.

And Warburton hopes the 20-year-old can follow in the footsteps of compatriot Gedion Zelalem and become a key part of the Light Blues squad this term.

He told RangersTV: “Yeah, both are very good ball players, both see the picture early and both have a wonderful array of skills and a silky first touch as well.

“So I’m looking forward to seeing Emerson play and he knows the challenge.

“No one walks in and there are no guarantees ever to anyone about the shirt, but he is hungry to come here and chatting to him I’m very pleased with his responses.

“He’s excited, he’s a young player coming to a club of this stature so you should be excited, and I’m sure he will add value to the squad.”