STEVEN GERRARD has thanked the Ibrox board for their backing in the transfer market as he looks to add more strength and depth to his Rangers ranks this summer.

The 38-year-old completed his eighth and ninth deals of the close season on Tuesday as Lassana Coulibaly and Umar Sadiq agreed 12-month loan switches from Angers and Roma respectively.

Rangers have returned to the negotiating table in an attempt to sign Millwall defender Jake Cooper and have submitted a £3million bid for the former England youth international.

Gerrard will make his competitive debut in the dugout when his side face FK Shkupi in the Europa League first qualifying round tonight.

And the Ibrox boss is keen to complete more business as he continues his preparations for the new Premiership campaign.

Gerrard said: "It's difficult to put a number on it. We are close but we are not complete just yet.

"Nothing to say on Jake Cooper or any other player that belongs to another club. I won't add to speculation at all. But I need another centre back.

"They (the board) have been superb. They have done exactly what they said they would when we spoke before I got the job. So yeah, really happy with the support.

“We are very close to completing what we want. We feel the squad has improved an awful lot.

“We are close to where we want it to be. There's just a few more pieces missing maybe."