Getting the transfer window right can completely dictate a team's season and future, and in Rangers' case, the window they endured just before Giovanni van Bronckhorst left was one to forget, which didn't exactly help his job security.
In the summer of 2022, the Gers spent a reported €14m (£12.5m) on arrivals, welcoming seven fresh faces in total. One year later, however, and now under Michael Beale, only two of those seven reinforcements started in Rangers' most recent game against Celtic.
Now, to really sum up just how disappointing some of their 2022 investments have been, Beale has made a surprising exclusion in his Europa League squad.
Who is in Rangers' Europa League squad?
Rangers' Europa League squad doesn't include a lot of shocks, but that's not to say it's without its controversies. Expected names such as James Tavernier, Sam Lammers, Connor Goldson, and Ryan Jack have all been named alongside other regulars. But the controversy comes from the two names left out, with one, in particular, a slight surprise.
Beale opted to leave out Kieran Dowell, who is currently injured, as well as Ridvan Yilmaz, who made the move to Ibrox last summer for a reported £5m. Left out by the manager after initially arriving under Von Bronckhorst, Yilmaz must be left wondering just where he stands at Rangers.
The defender's omission means that Borna Barisic is the only left-back option in Beale's Europa League squad, meaning that they are one injury away from being forced to shoehorn another member of the squad into the fullback role.
Rangers' European campaign gets underway on 21 September against Real Betis, where they'll look to get off to the perfect start to life in Group C, before squaring off against both Spata Prague and Aris Limassol. They will, however, have to complete their progression without Yilmaz.
How has Ridvan Yilmaz performed this season?
It's difficult to judge how Yilmaz has performed this season, in truth, considering that he has played just 26 minutes in the Scottish Premiership, which came from the bench in Rangers' recent 1-0 loss in the Old Firm derby against Celtic.
In his debut campaign for the Gers last time out, meanwhile, the left-back missed 29 games through injury. With that said, it's fair to say that his career at Ibrox is yet to really get going, and his Europa League omission certainly won't help things.
It is worth remembering, of course, that Yilmaz is still just 22-years-old, and finding his feet at a new club. As the season goes on, he could yet receive his much-needed chance to impress Beale, too, even though it won't be in the Europa League.
If he does fail to impress in the current campaign, then Yilmaz may find himself at a bit of a crossroads, having had two seasons to get his chance at Ibrox by that point. It will certainly be interesting to see when the left-back will get a regular opportunity for Rangers, and whether he ends up defying the odds by rescuing his Gers career.