Rangers must back Michael Beale financially during the upcoming January transfer window as uncertainty surrounds the futures of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, says BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Rangers' season so far

After being appointed as Rangers' new manager earlier this month, Beale already has his first transfer window coming up in a matter of weeks.

Having drawn three and lost two of their 15 SPFL games so far this season, some improvements could certainly be made to the Gers' squad.

Looking ahead to January, with names like Josh Onomah and Ryan Porteous linked, one former Rangers figure has urged the club to back their new manager in the winter window.

The Latest: Rangers urged to back Beale

Reacting to Football Insider about the exit talk around Kent and Morelos, Hutton had this to say about spending in the January window:

"I think it definitely helps (keep players at the club).

"For any player joining any team you want to be part of something. You want a vision and a plan moving forward and I think that is something Rangers have not really had this season.

"It is a big opportunity for Beale to put his stamp on the squad. Hopefully in January he does get backed because he needs players through the door that can help bridge that gap that there is at the moment between Rangers and Celtic."

The Verdict: Work to do at Rangers

Despite having the highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes (19.67) in the league this season, there are five clubs with a higher percentage of shots on target than Rangers (31.2%).

With that in mind, it could be worth Beale looking to bring a clinical attacking figure to the club that can help the team score more goals and be less wasteful in goalscoring opportunities.

Given how many points Rangers are behind Celtic at the top of the league table, it's clear that Beale has a big job on his hands if he wants to turn the tide and bring the title to Ibrox, and the Rangers hierarchy simply cannot afford to wait until the summer to back their new boss.