Prodigiously talented and one of the only academy graduates across the last few years to have a genuine chance of becoming a first-team regular at Rangers, Alex Lowry has embarked on the first loan spell of his career this summer. 

There was significant interest in Lowry’s services but Hearts were selected as the perfect destination for numerous factors. Talks between Lowry and Michael Beale were continuous all summer and it was agreed that a loan move suited all parties. New arrivals accelerated that decision with several adding further competition in positions that Lowry is best suited and where Rangers are well-stocked.

Lowry’s omission from several pre-season friendlies was noticeable but the Rangers Review understands that decision was led by the player. The 20-year-old’s determination to get minutes under his belt saw him miss the friendly against Hamburg at Ibrox - where fellow youngsters Bailey Rice and Johnly Yfeko featured - to travel with the B-team to Leicester City and face OH Leuven.

Interest in Lowry wasn’t limited to British clubs this summer, with teams in Italy and Holland checking on the talented midfielder’s availability. The strongest interest on the continent arrived from a Belgian club but new regulations, enforced since Brexit, complicated any potential move abroad as Lowry wasn’t classified as a first-team regular. 

There was strong interest from clubs in England, from the Championship to League Two, but Hearts eventually won the race, with Beale’s preference for Lowry to remain close to Glasgow a significant factor. 

The Rangers manager's expertise working with academy footballers is renowned and he rates Lowry highly from his previous spell at the club. The pair enjoy a strong relationship and there was no rush to dispatch Lowry on loan this summer to the first club who registered their interest, as was the case in January. 

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Beale’s comments about a potential loan move from that time are extremely pertinent when understanding why he’s moved to Hearts this summer. 

“The right manager I think,” Beale replied when asked the most important factor in selecting a potential loan destination for Lowry. “The right manager that is going to give him a chance to nurture him. It doesn’t have to be here in Scotland. It can be further afield. It’s a matter of ‘Is it the right option?’ If not, then the best option is for him to be here.” 

Ultimately, of all the options presented this summer, Beale believes that the right manager is Steven Naismith. While Naimsith’s strained relationship with the Rangers fanbase in recent years is well documented, the Hearts boss is viewed as a good reference point for the professionalism needed to be a regular first-team player at Ibrox. 

Both Naismith and Frankie McAvoy are admirers of Lowry’s talents. While there are never any promises over minutes, Lowry will be afforded the opportunity to show why he deserves to play regularly and that’s been reinforced already with two starts in three games.

Rangers prioritised Lowry’s development this summer, rather than financial factors such as wage contributions and loan fees - the most important aspect was finding the right club for the individual. Albeit on a smaller scale, playing for Hearts offers some parallels to playing for Rangers. There are high expectations from a sizeable crowd at Tyncecastle and that demand for relative success provides a pressurised environment that Lowry will need to flourish in, firstly at Hearts and then to become a success at Rangers. 

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European football was another factor mentioned by Lowry and Hearts face a massive second leg against Rosenburg on Thursday night. In terms of playing style, Naismith is trying to introduce a more possession-based game, which should suit Lowry. His technical and creative ability is unquestionable and that was highlighted on his debut against St Johnstone. 

In the 2-0 win, Hearts recorded an Expected Goals (xG) total of 2.68, of which 2.02 xG arrived in the final 38 minutes after Lowry’s introduction. A player’s contribution to attacks can be measured using a metric called xGBuild-up and Lowry ranked second highest of any player in the Scottish Premiership that weekend despite playing less than half the minutes. That statistic is even more impressive considering he only met his teammates on the morning of the game - which puts the Rangers loanee’s impact into perspective.

As impressive as Lowry’s debut was at McDiarmid Park, it’s imperative not to eulogise excessively. Youngsters often struggle to perform consistently and that will ultimately define the success of Lowry’s loan spell and the likelihood of him making an impact upon his return to Rangers next season.

Lowry has been rewarded with starts in the next two games against Rosenburg and Kilmarnock but he failed to replicate similarly high performance levels. Against Kilmarnock yesterday afternoon, Lowry was deployed from the left with a licence to roam and find pockets of space. There were a couple of nice moments, including a lovely back-heel, but Hearts were unable to breakdown a resolute defensive structure and Lowry was replaced around the hour mark.

Lowry’s talents on the ball are irrefutable, but there’s an acceptance that he needs to improve out of possession and Naimsith will reinforce that message strongly across his time in Edinburgh. As detailed in this article, there are numerous legitimate reasons why Hearts is viewed as the perfect platform for the next stage of Lowry’s development and Beale explained the process in his press conference on Friday. 

He said: “Firstly, I wanted to keep him as close to home as possible. Secondly, I had a long conversation with Steven Naismith about what he was looking for and what Rangers were looking for from Alex. This is a loan to come back, this is a loan to go do well and play regularly after a broken season. He has no promises because he needs to earn it, like everyone else which is important. I think Hearts was the right club and they are also in Europe. Good luck to them for the second leg because it’s really important for Scottish football. 

“Alex did ever so well against St Johnstone, especially as he didn’t arrive there until Friday afternoon and probably didn’t meet his teammates until Saturday morning. It’s so far, so good and it’s a really interesting loan for us. Alex missed lots of football last season and I just really want him to play. He probably missed a full season and it’s a fantastic place to go and play. It’s close to home so me and my staff can monitor his every move but I trust Steven with him. Steven will be strong with him in terms of the areas that he needs to work on.”

Lowry has enjoyed his first week at Hearts and not having to relocate will aid his acclimatisation to new surroundings. He will travel through to Edinburgh with fellow Glasgow-based teammates like Andy Halliday - another former Rangers player, who understands the standards needed at Ibrox. 

Lowry’s breakthrough season culminated in a goal and an assist against Hearts in the final league game of the campaign. Many predicted Lowry to flourish during the 2022/23 campaign but a disrupted pre-season was followed by the arrivals of other attackers, Malik Tillman and Tom Lawrence. 

A knee injury cost Lowry several months of last season but it was abundantly clear that he’d outgrown youth football and playing against lower league opposition, where he sustained a terrible challenge against Dumbarton that derailed his campaign. 

On Friday, Beale reiterated that Lowry’s loan move is purely for his development. It’s not with a view to selling him next summer as his long-term future remains at Ibrox, but it’s now down to the player himself to prove why he should be part of Rangers’ first-team squad next season by shining, on and off the ball, at Hearts.