THE deals that Steven Gerrard completes to bring players into Ibrox this summer could be the most important that Rangers have penned for quite some time.

If the additions work out the way that the 39-year-old hopes and plans, the Premiership title may well be delivered come May.

But Rangers still have a clean-up operation to undertake in the coming weeks. It is one that will not only reduce the numbers of players on their books, but that will ease the burden on their bottom line too.

It was clear last season that the Ibrox squad was better but still not good enough and Rangers had to watch on once again as Celtic swept the board in Scotland.

The Light Blues have wasted little time in trying to address that and the first weeks of the summer have been productive for Gerrard and encouraging for supporters.

Jordan Jones and Jake Hastie have arrived after putting pen-to-paper some time ago, while Steven Davis extended his second stint at Ibrox.

Greg Stewart has come in on a Bosman from Birmingham, while Sheyi Ojo follows the path that Ryan Kent and Ovie Ejaria took 12 months ago after moving from Liverpool on a loan deal.

The deal for George Edmundson may have taken a bit of time to get over the line but Rangers' patience paid off as Oldham finally received an offer they were satisfied with.

And perhaps the most intriguing switch of them all will be finalised in the coming days as Joe Aribo joins the Gers from Charlton.

The 21-year-old wasn't short of suitors after an impressive campaign with the Addicks as he helped Lee Bowyer's side earn promotion back to the Championship.

So there will be a sense of satisfaction at Ibrox that Rangers have managed to get that one over the line and Aribo will join up with Gerrard's squad at their pre-season training base in Portugal after signing a four-year contract.

Rangers still have work to do in terms of arrivals. Another centre-half is required, and a left-back could also be brought in if Borna Barisic fails to take what is surely his last chance in the coming days.

At the other end of the park, much will depend on Alfredo Morelos and whether he stays or goes but at least one striker is needed at present.

Those deals will remain the priority ones for Director of Football Mark Allen to conclude but others need to be signed off too.

Kyle Lafferty and Graham Dorrans were absent from the travelling party and seem to have no future at Ibrox. Either does Jason Holt, while the likes of Greg Docherty and Jordan Rossiter have fallen further down the pecking order despite encouraging spells out on loan last season.

The Gers career of Eros Grezda should be over after just 12 months, while keepers Wes Foderingham and Jak Alnwick are likely to depart in search of first team football. Joe Dodoo will also be moved on at the first opportunity, while striker Eduardo Herrera won't be on the books for much longer.

There will also be loan moves for kids Robby McCrorie and Glenn Middleton and a handful of other Academy talents would benefit from a season away from Rangers.

After inheriting a squad that wasn't fit for purpose, Gerrard has addressed many of the problems in a short space of time.

But legacy issues still remain and they have been added to by wrong moves in the market.

If Gerrard can increase the strike rate once again this summer, Rangers shouldn't be far away in the title race and the money invested in him and his team will be well spent. Too often in recent years, that hasn't been the case at Ibrox.

Not all of those that leave have been huge mistakes or really costly errors. But Rangers need them off the wage bill and away from the changing room quickly.

AND ANOTHER THING

STEVEN GERRARD achieved his first target as Rangers manager by leading his side into the group stages of the Europa League last season. Now that the bar is raised, the feat has to be repeated second time out.

Expectations amongst supporters were fairly muted at the start of the European campaign but momentum quickly built game by game, round by round.

The prestige and cash from being back at that level were crucial for Rangers and the Euro nights under the Ibrox floodlights were a hark back to previous years before the most tumultuous period in the Light Blues' history.

Gerrard's side proved they were capable of handling the difficult schedule of four successive qualifiers last season and there will be an expectation now that they do so again in the coming weeks.

Prishtina or St Joseph's lie in wait for the first competitive game on July 11, while Progres Niederkorn are only of the potential opponents - alongside Cork City and Cardiff Metropolitan University - in round two.

Assistant manager Gary McAllister has stated that Rangers will treat that first qualifier like an Old Firm game in terms of their preparation. It won't have the hype, but there is no doubting it's importance.

The feelgood factor from a European run could carry Rangers through a tricky first month in the Premiership and another group campaign would be significant financially for the Ibrox board. It is a target Gerrard will be determined to deliver once again.