Graeme Souness believes Celtic's decision-makers will be "annoyed with themselves" for not securing better players during their summer spending spree, as Rangers close in on the Scottish Premiership title.
The Ibrox icon reckons Derek McInnes' men have planted a "seed of doubt" in the minds of the Scottish champions, with pressure mounting on the Parkhead board.
Summer spending under scrutiny
Celtic splashed around £35 million on new recruits, but signings like Kasper Hogh and Haissem Hassan have yet to hit top form, despite success stories such as Camilo Duran.
Rangers spent similar sums, yet their arrivals—Dan Neil, Olwethu Makhanya, and Minsu Kim—have emerged as key figures.
Souness, writing in The Rangers Review, said: "I think we have a wonderful opportunity. We have a wonderful opportunity with how our board is set up. I think you can always find money for players; it's just about getting the right ones."
Warning against complacency
He added: "I think, in the East End of Glasgow, they might be annoyed with themselves that they haven't strengthened and got better players than what they've got right now at their disposal. I see it as a wonderful opportunity to be number one again."
Despite the optimism, Souness cautioned McInnes and his squad not to get carried away—even if they move top with a win over Kilmarnock on Saturday.
"But the first one is the hardest one. The second one, people think, is easier, but it's equally as hard. But once you plant the seed of doubt in the opposition, and you'll have to plant it in one place," he said.
No mercy in title push
"I know last year Hearts came near to winning it, but generally it's just about planting that seed of doubt in Parkhead, that we are better than you. They've done that."
"They've done that in the last month. Now they have to; they cannot show any mercy to anyone they're playing now. If they're playing St Johnstone, whoever you're playing, go out there and be the bully. Go out there, be the bully, be the aggressor in the opening stages of the game."
Souness stressed the need for consistency, noting: "We're a big team. We should be better at the basics of the game, let's put it that way, without going into any detail."
He acknowledged the challenge ahead: "I am, because of my experience in football, aware that it can bite you in the backside pretty quickly. All we can talk about is that we have been fabulous in the last two games against our biggest rival. It's not easy to go to Parkhead and win; never easy, but we have planted a seed in their heads that we're better than them."
"Now we've got to continue planting that seed in their head because we have to win every single game we play, and that's the challenge facing them. That's the challenge facing them, and that's part of the deal of being a Rangers player."
