RANGERS have begun the process of summer strengthening by assessing three strikers: Ivan Klasnic of Werder Bremen, David Nugent of Portsmouth and Frederic Piquionne of AS Monaco.

Reports from Germany suggest a tentative inquiry has already been made for Klasnic, the Croatia internationalist who faced Rangers in the UEFA Cup. He is available on a Bosman transfer in the summer and is attracting interest from clubs across Europe.

The Herald understands Ewan Chester, the club's chief scout, watched Nugent on his comeback from a groin problem for Portsmouth reserves in a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal on Wednesday night.

Nugent has hardly featured for Harry Redknapp's first team since his £6m transfer from Preston North End in the summer. The striker, who has been capped once by England, will leave Fratton Park in the summer for around £4m.

Walter Smith is keen to replenish his striking options next season and with £9m already banked for the sale of Alan Hutton to Tottenham Hotspur, he will be financially equipped to pursue his interest in the striker.

Chester is also expected to watch Piquionne in action in the near future. The 29-year-old has the distinction of being capped for both Martinique, who are not affiliated to FIFA, and France, even though he was born and raised in New Caledonia, Oceania.

He has been a popular figure at the Stade Louis II since joining from Saint-Etienne and could come into consideration if, as expected, Rangers lose Daniel Cousin.

The Gabon internationalist has agreed a £3m transfer to Fulham, which will be activated in the summer after FIFA blocked a January move.

If Roy Hodgson's side are relegated, Cousin is still expected to leave Glasgow and the brawny Piquionne, who earned his solitary French cap against Austria in March last year, is a potential successor.

Jean-Claude Darcheville is contracted to Rangers for another year but persistent hamstring problems have hampered his progress since the 32-year-old Bosman move from Bordeaux and he could return to Ligue 1 in the summer.

After Rangers claimed their first silverware since 2005, lifting the CIS Insurance Cup last weekend, the chief executive, Martin Bain, confirmed Rangers' prolonged run in the UEFA Cup will give Smith a greater degree of financial flexibility this summer.

"Walter will tell you he had to rebuild in the summer . . . but we can improve further," he said. "With the right management team in place, we can look forward to the rest of the season and this summer, when we will have to make changes again.

"We will make sure we make the correct ones and we are already in the early stages of that. The club went too long without a trophy. The fans want silverware and, hopefully, there is more to come."

Meanwhile, Barry Ferguson, Darcheville and David Weir will be back for tomorrow's game against Hibernian. All three sat out Wednesday night's 1-1 Scottish Cup quarter-final draw against Partick Thistle at Hampden.

Ferguson saw a specialist on Tuesday over a niggling ankle problem but any work needed on the minor injury has been put off until the close season. Weir was rested against Thistle while Darcheville was suffering from a groin strain. "Barry and Davie are both back and Jean-Claude is fit again so that increases our options," said Smith. "Hibs will clearly be difficult opponents, as they have been over the course of this season, but we need the victory to maintain our momentum."

Smith must decide whether to bring in Darcheville from the start after Kris Boyd struck three times in four days to clinch the CIS Insurance Cup and keep his side in the Scottish Cup.

"It's fair to say that Kris has saved us twice this week with his goals," Smith added. "It was a disappointing performance overall against Thistle but we are still in the cup and, hopefully, we can get back to our normal standard against Hibs."

Cousin has returned to training after surgery on a fractured jaw sustained in the UEFA Cup win over Werder Bremen on March 6. But Smith added: "Due to the nature of Daniel's injury we can't rush him back, so it will be another two or three weeks."

Smith has accepted a two-match touchline ban over his dismissal during the previous visit of Hibs. His suspension starts on March 23 and, as things stand in Rangers' ever-changing fixture list, will cover the visit of Celtic on March 29 and the trip to Dundee United the following Sunday. The SFA have yet to set a date for the replay against Thistle.