Rangers squad profiled: What are Steven Gerrard and Ross Wilson's priorities?

Depth was added in areas of the pitch that needed to be freshened up and crucially, from a footballing point of view, key assets were retained across the board.

It seemed inevitable that one of Alfredo Morelos, Glen Kamara, Ryan Kent or Borna Barisic would be sold this summer but as of yet, the much-spoken of player-trading model is yet to produce a significant transfer fee.

That’s not to say such a model is failing, or anything of the sort. This summer, it was widely regarded that despite ridiculous fees exchanged in the upper echelons of football, money was tight for the majority of clubs and value in the market depreciated as a result.

That’s why next summer appears to be the most significant the club has faced in a long time from a player-trading perspective.

Champions League qualification would have accelerated development this term, but given that the winner of this year’s Scottish Premiership is all but guaranteed a group stage spot in season 22/23 – the potential of mixing with Europe’s elite next season is more tangible.

Furthermore, given the contract expiry dates of a number of important personnel, the summer of 2022 could see more than one member of this team sold on.

How healthy a position are Rangers in regarding the depth of their squad, quality and longevity of player?

READ MORE: Rangers are champions for a reason, in the face of adversity we rise to the occasion - Stevie Clifford

The state of the squad 

There is no evidence to suggest that the first XI has been improved as of yet this term, but the squad undoubtedly has.

John Lundstram would have perhaps been expected to adapt quicker given his Premiership pedigree, but moving to a possession-dominant side was always going to require a bedding-in period.

Fashion Sakala has not exploded onto the scene as his performance in a friendly against Real Madrid suggested, but there is a reason his signature was coveted by teams in the ‘big five’ leagues. 

Juninho Bacuna’s CV of late doesn’t inspire at first viewing. However, as Michael Beale explained when referencing the 24-year-olds arrival, Rangers are very good at taking promising young players who need a platform to perform and improving them. Look at Kamara, Hagi, Kent and Morelos as an indication.

Nnamdi Ofoborh is yet to feature due to a health problem and Jack Simpson has appeared sporadically. Scott Wright’s signing has been an overwhelming success, however, and the arrivals of Juan Diego Algeria along with Charlie McCann are made with a view for the future.

It was always going to take a big transfer to seriously improve the starting XI. Without selling, project players appear to be the market the club are able to operate in.

With that said, let's look at the current profile of the squad.

Squad age 

Scottish Premiership 20/21 minutes

Contract expiry date

Steven Gerrard has a well-balanced squad with a number of players in or entering their prime. 

Looking back on last season, the dependence on Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor and Steven Davis is apparent and equally gives slight cause for concern. There is a realistic prospect all three could leave the club next season, the former two are 39 and 36 while the latter is yet to sign a new contract.

Equally, Kent, Hagi, Kamara, Aribo and Morelos are all entering peak ages while Tavernier and Barisic are within theirs at 29 and 28, all of which provide an excellent foundation for the next evolution of this side.

Speaking to the Telegraph in March of this year, Sporting Director Ross Wilson said: "We have to be a strong player-trading club. That means we have to sell well and buy well. I don’t think it’s inevitable that every player performing well here has to leave Rangers.

"That is definitely not the case. Joe Aribo came from Charlton Athletic; Glen Kamara from Dundee, a Finnish international; Borna Barisic, a Croatia international came from Osijek.

"We know these players can play in any of the top five leagues. We also know they are really loving life at Rangers. We will make sure we will trade players out at the right time.”

As Wilson alludes to, the player trading model does not mean every player who could move on necessarily will. The focus at Rangers must ultimately be the product on the pitch.

With that said, what are the main priorities of Wilson and Gerrard looking ahead to next summer?

A long term goalkeeping solution

Robby McCrorie’s Old Firm performance and full debut against Alashkert showed real signs of promise in regards to an Allan McGregor succession plan. At 23, he is still relatively young in goalkeeping years and has amounted good experience throughout four separate loan spells.

Whether or not this is McGregor’s last season remains to be seen. He is in the final year of his deal and turns 40 early next year but produced a stunning domestic campaign in 20/21, saving five goals above average.

Jon McLaughlin has an excellent record as a Rangers keeper and at 33, still has a number of years to play. It seems likely he and McCrorie will be the two tasked with earning McGregor's No.1 spot once the latter hangs up his gloves. 

An answer to the Goldson contract quandary 

As the Rangers Review wrote last month, Connor Goldson has played around 95% of the matches Gerrard has managed throughout his spell. While the team has enjoyed success without Kent, Morelos, Tavernier and Davis – life without Goldson is a step into the unknown.

Goldson possesses a number of the skills required of a modern defender, with good recovery pace and impressive ability on the ball complimenting his outright defensive attributes. Now in the final year of his deal, the club knows any fee recouped for his signature this summer would not equate to the potential riches of the Champions League. If he does move this summer, there is no one in the squad at present who can emulate his role within the team.

The future of Nathan Patterson

The healthiest looking area of the team moving forward is undoubtedly at full-back. James Tavernier, Borna Barisic, Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey are all under contract until 2024.

Bassey has performed well this season but is still comfortably second-fiddle to Barisic, the situation at right-back is more pressing.

Patterson is too good to play second fiddle and Gerrard has admitted he wants to field both right-backs in the same team. 

Given Tavernier is the captain and likely to play most games, a solution must be reached to field both players together. Not only is the 19-year-old a great prospect, but he is too valuable an asset to play only 15 games this season. 

The Steven Davis solution

Davis continues to perform week on week for the club, and while Ryan Jack's proposed return should allow the 36-year-old to be rotated more regularly, Jack's injury record suggests a number six will be a priority next summer.

Offensively speaking, the singing of Juninho Bacuna could prove a smart piece of business. Beale drew comparisons between Bacuna and Kamara, the 24-year-old appears to possess the characteristics required of a No.8 in the Ibrox side's system. 

READ MORE: Juninho Bacuna: What type of player are Rangers signing?

Lundstram is certainly not a No.6, but perhaps could perform well domestically in a double-pivot. Replacing a player with the game intelligence and ability of Davis long-term will be a really difficult piece of recruitment.

Selling at the 'right time' and renewing deals

Rangers have numerous valuable assets, but as Wilson suggests the timing of their departure is key. 

The Athletic has reported that Glen Kamara will sign a contract extension at Ibrox to prolong his deal past the summer of 2023. Interest from the Premier League could lead to a move regardless of his deal.

It seems inevitable that this season will be Alfredo Morelos’ last at Rangers. The Champions League could perhaps keep him at Ibrox, but a strong season will surely ensure a sale.

Kent is another player who will enter the final year of his contract in 2022, now aged 24 he will likely want to try his hand in the Premier League in the next couple of years. 

To lose all three in one summer would put huge pressure on recruitment. With Aribo's deal also up in 2023, renewals for both him and Kamara at least appear a necessity. 

Rangers are in a position of strength and the club is being run to maximise success on the pitch instead of solely focusing on turning profit, but sales surely have to occur next summer to start the next chapter of this team's evolution.