RANGERS will monitor Ryan McGowan's progress with his new club in China and may consider making an offer to him when they are free from their SFA transfer embargo later this year.

Manager Ally McCoist yesterday confirmed that McGowan, the 23-year-old Australian who left Hearts for Shandong Luneng this week, was still a player he would like to bring to Ibrox. McGowan has agreed a deal with the Chinese club which will earn him £750,000 but lasts only until the end of their season in November.

He would then be free to sign for any other club and could receive an offer from Rangers. McCoist's assistant, Kenny McDowall, had said no offer was made to McGowan before he left for China but yesterday the manager said the defender was still a player he liked. Rangers tried to sign McGowan along with David Templeton last summer but only managed to land the winger.

"I don't know the exact ins and outs of his contract with the Chinese club," said McCoist. "But Ryan is a player we certainly would have liked to have brought here first time around and he'd have been a good one for us."

Rangers are likely to be one division higher in the Scottish League by the time they make any renewed attempt to sign McGowan. "You'd hope so," said McCoist. "I can't predict the future and I don't know how Ryan will do or what our situation will be. But you'd have to say he was a player we were interested in so we'll continue to monitor him and wish him all the best."

The SFA embargo prevents Rangers from registering any new player until September 1 although they are free to negotiate and offer terms to any player in the final six months of his contract. McCoist has identified targets and would attempt to do business now if the alternative was seeing the player agree to join someone else. "If there's an opportunity to do it now or plan for the future then we should be doing it, and we are. We've got endless lists of players whose contracts are up at the end of the season. We're definitely looking now.

"We've been encouraged by the interest that's been shown from one or two players we've been monitoring. The great thing is with the club, the support, the stadium, and training ground it is still a big pull for some players."

Rangers take on Elgin City at Ibrox this afternoon, 17 points clear at the top after 11 consecutive victories. After today, 17 more games remain of a league they have turned into a procession but Rangers will play through to May 4 without a break. McCoist admitted to some envy over the fact that Clydesdale Bank Premier League clubs are on a two-week break while his players, and others in the lower leagues, must soldier on.

"That's Scottish football: some people get a rest and others don't. What I'm against is one rule for one, another rule for the others. If we want to have a winter break then Scottish football should have a winter break. Once again, we find we're not singing from the same hymn sheet. That is what I find a little bit strange.

"But I'm delighted we're playing and touch wood the pitch will be in fantastic condition. It is one of the best parks and stadiums in the country. Listen, if you ask our team and ask the Elgin boys what they would rather be doing without a doubt they would rather be kicking off at Ibrox."

Two former favourites, Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd, trained again at Murray Park yesterday having asked to use the facilities of their former club but Rangers had to do without one of their current players. McCoist was pessimistic about the ankle injury right-back Darren Cole suffered at Annan Athletic on Wednesday which led to the 21-year-old being stretchered off early in the second half. "Darren has a bad one. The swelling is way up and I'm not too hopeful. We think he'll need an operation."

Lee McCulloch, Emilson Cribari, Dean Shiels and Lewis Macleod are available again for Rangers.