Glasgow Rangers play their first Premiership recreation in 77 days on Saturday afternoon as they make the journey to Edinburgh.
Hearts are the opponents within the season opener and Philippe Clement can be hoping that the Ibrox aspect could make an ideal begin to the 2024/25 marketing campaign by taking all three factors again to Glasgow.
The Belgian coach has simply signed a new contract, protecting him on the Mild Blues till 2028, cementing the very fact he’s all in on this venture of rebuilding the membership.
The subsequent few weeks may very well be completely essential. Not solely does the league season start, however the membership face Dynamo Kyiv within the Champions League qualification spherical, realizing that the riches of Europe’s premier membership competitors await in the event that they handle to get by two rounds.
With 9 summer time signings, Clement has a number of new gamers to select from relating to selecting his beginning XI towards the Jambos on Saturday – with Dujon Sterling seemingly the only confirmed absentee.
With that in thoughts, this is a have a look at who will get the nod to attempt to safe three factors at Tynecastle…
1
GK – Jack Butland
The Englishman loved a beautiful debut marketing campaign at Ibrox, lacking only one recreation all through your complete 2023/24 season.
Total, he kept 25 clean sheets in 58 appearances, filling the void left by the retiring Allan McGregor with ease.
The query is, can he construct on this glorious debut 12 months and get even higher this season? He will definitely begin towards the Jambos.
2
RB – James Tavernier
A lot has been made about Tavernier’s future at Ibrox through the switch window, as there was important curiosity within the right-back.
Talking in a latest interview, nevertheless, Tavernier claimed that he is “fully committed” to the trigger this season as he makes an attempt to guide the Gers to a different league title.
Through the 2023/24 marketing campaign, the Englishman completed because the membership’s high scorer, netting a remarkable 24 goals across 58 matches in all competitions.
Can he replicate these types of numbers this season? A stable begin towards Hearts may give him loads of confidence.
3
CB – John Souttar
Following an injury-hit debut season at Ibrox, Souttar lastly emerged as a key first-team participant final time period, making a total of 41 appearances for the membership.
Clement clearly has loads of religion in Souttar, as he and Connor Goldson have been his principal centre-back pairing all through 2023/24.
With Goldson gone, nevertheless, Souttar must familiarize yourself with a brand new accomplice, one who’s a latest signing from FC Twente…
4
CB – Robin Propper
Following Goldson’s departure, it was clear the supervisor had to herald not less than one centre-back earlier than the beginning of the season.
He didn’t take lengthy to make his transfer, as Propper was announced on Thursday, becoming a member of the Gers from the Eredivisie.
The 30-year-old made 40 appearances for Twente final season, scoring 3 times within the course of, and involves Ibrox with excessive hopes.
His involvement this weekend isn’t assured due to issues over paperwork, though if he does characteristic, a clear sheet towards the Tynecastle aspect can be a beautiful begin, that’s for positive.
5
LB – Ridvan Yilmaz
Like Souttar, Yilmaz endured a troublesome debut season at Rangers. Having accomplished a stable pre-season final summer time, he went on to make 33 appearances for the membership, displaying extra consistency earlier than an harm derailed his progress in the direction of the top of the season.
Borna Barisic left the Gers on the finish of final season, which implies Yilmaz is the primary choice at left-back heading into the brand new season.
Can he construct on final season and proceed to enhance? Or will the strain show to be an excessive amount of?
6
DM – Connor Barron
The teen will make his first aggressive look for the membership following his arrival from Aberdeen on a free switch.
He has loads of potential and has acquitted himself properly throughout pre-season and can absolutely be given a begin towards Hearts.
7
CM – Mohamed Diomande
The Ivorian joined the membership in January on an preliminary mortgage deal, earlier than signing completely this summer time from FC Nordsjaelland.
The teen scored twice during the second half of final season and has performed properly alongside Barron in pre-season.
If he can reside as much as his potential, Diomande may make the membership a considerable revenue, little doubt about that.
8
CM – Tom Lawrence
The Welshman scored twice towards Union Berlin within the closing pleasant match of pre-season, displaying Clement simply how essential he may very well be for the membership this season.
Battling again from an injury-hit first 12 months in Glasgow, Lawrence performed extra frequently final season as Clement utilised his skills pretty typically.
He registered six goal contributions in 32 video games for the Mild Blues all through 2023/24. Bettering on this might see him assist the membership to a league title this time period.
9
RW – Vaclav Cerny
The Czech winger joins on a season-long mortgage deal from Wolfsburg as Clement lastly added some high quality to his vast choices.
Final time period, Cerny scored five goals within the Bundesliga, which wasn’t dangerous contemplating he began simply 12 video games within the German high flight.
He ought to go straight into the beginning XI towards Hearts – fitness permitting – giving Clement a harmful menace from the best as he seems to chop by their defence.
10
LW – Oscar Cortes
The winger carried out properly throughout his first few video games upon becoming a member of in January, however a season-ending harm in February derailed all his progress.
A optimistic pre-season will see him begin the marketing campaign on the left wing, and he may terrorise the Hearts’ defence if he will get into his stride through the match.
11
ST – Cyriel Dessers
A lot has been manufactured from Dessers’ future at Rangers through the summer time, however it seems as if he could also be staying for the season forward.
The £4.5m striker did score 22 goals throughout his maiden marketing campaign in Glasgow, however he missed greater than his justifiable share of probabilities, 27 in the Premiership alone.
A objective or two towards Hearts would definitely appease the Ibrox trustworthy, however it’s clear that Clement must carry one other centre-forward to the membership earlier than the top of the switch window.
Predicted Rangers XI to face Hearts: GK – Butland; RB – Tavernier, CB – Souttar, CB – Propper, LB – Yilmaz; DM – Barron, CM – Diomande, CM – Lawrence; RW – Cerny, LW – Cortes; ST – Dessers
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