Glasgow Rangers play their first game since the Premiership split on Sunday as they travel to Paisley to face St Mirren.
The Buddies have enjoyed a wonderful season thus far, but if the Light Blues are serious in their ambitions of winning the league, a win is urgently required.
There will likely be a few changes from the starting XI that defeated Hearts at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final last weekend, especially as a few players have suffered injuries.
Rangers team news vs St Mirren
Philippe Clement spoke to the media on Friday ahead of the league clash, discussing the current stage of his first team squad, saying:
“[Abdallah] Sima will be out, I hope to see him again this season he is very motivated for that.
“Matondo got a bad tackle against Hearts and is doubtful for the weekend. Ridvan and Jack I expect back in training next week.”
This means Clement will be missing four players against the Buddies, with Sima and Yilmaz’s absences proving to be the most felt in terms of improving the starting XI.
With Sima returning to Brighton once his loan spell finishes at the end of the season, is this the last that we see of the talented winger at Ibrox?
Abdallah Sima’s future remains unclear
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Rangers are in pole position to sign Sima during the summer transfer window as the Seagulls look increasingly likely that they will sell him.
The winger appears to want to continue his adventure at the Ibrox side but much will depend on the fee the Premier League side are after in order to secure his signature.
Signing a winger who impressed after a successful loan period isn’t a new thing for the Light Blues, as Steven Gerrard coughed up money to sign Ryan Kent on a permanent basis. Could the same be done for Sima?
Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers
If the 22-year-old hadn’t enjoyed a wonderful debut season in Glasgow, the idea of him making a permanent move would surely be off the table.
Despite missing 14 games after suffering a hamstring injury on international duty with Senegal in January, the youngster has scored 16 goals and registered two assists across all competitions, not a bad haul indeed.
Among his teammates, Sima currently ranks third for goals and assists (13) in the top flight, along with ranking third for shots per game (3) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.3), showcasing how vital he has been to the club this season.
Metric
Premiership
Europa League
Goals
11
3
Assists
2
0
Big chances created
2
0
Key passes per game
0.9
1
Successful dribbles per game
1.3
1.8
The Senegalese starlet has clearly shown he can perform well in Scottish football. As evidenced by his 18 goal contributions in 38 matches. The question now is, can Clement lure him back this summer?
If he fails to make another appearance for the club, and they lose both the Premiership and Scottish Cup to Celtic, Sima may want to come back and attempt to lead the club to glory during the 2024/25 campaign.
If Clement cannot afford the 22-year-old, there is an academy player who has shown plenty of talent since arriving at Ibrox in 2022 who may be considered an ideal long-term replacement – Zak Lovelace.
Zak Lovelace’s career statistics
The teenager became the second-youngest player to feature for Millwall during a Championship clash against Coventry City in December 2021, suggesting he had a bright future ahead of him.
Lovelace made another four appearances for the Lions before the end of that season, yet it was Rangers who won the race to secure the highly coveted teen during Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first summer transfer in charge of the club.
It was looked upon as a shrewd piece of business by the Dutchman, especially as he was looking to build ahead for the future, with then-sporting director Ross Wilson lauding him as an "exciting young player" at the time of his arrival.
Indeed, it didn’t take long for Lovelace to gain an opportunity in the senior squad, making a late cameo against Queen of the South in the League Cup back in August 2022.
While it took until the final Old Firm match of the season for him to make another appearance for the club, in between, he shone for the B team.
In 35 games during the 2022/23 campaign, the former Millwall gem scored an impressive 18 times while grabbing ten assists, showing exactly why the club signed him in the first place.
He has been plagued with injuries during the current season, playing just two senior games, but he is one to watch out for next season, especially as he could form a dream duo with Ross McCausland.
Why Ross McCausland and Zak Lovelace could be the future of Rangers
While the 18-year-old has struggled this season, McCausland has made his way from academy talent to first-team regular under Clement.
Indeed, since coming off the bench against St Mirren in October, the Northern Irishman has played a further 31 times for the Gers, scoring twice and registering three assists, developing well under the tutelage of the 50-year-old Belgian.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Of course, the 20-year-old isn’t quite the finished article yet, but regular exposure of top flight and European football will make him a better player faster than if he was still playing in the academy, no doubt about it.
Clement might not have much money to work with this summer as he seeks to improve his squad, with loan signings and potential free transfers the way to go if he seeks to build a team of his own targets.
With the likes of McCausland and Lovelace emerging as excellent talents, several positions may not need much depth added to them, which could save them a lot of money in the long run.
Not every single player who emerges from the academy is going to be the next Barry Ferguson, but youth prospects can have their place in the squad can contribute effectively across the course of an entire season.
Lovelace will hopefully recover from his injury issues over the summer and a solid pre-season will allow him to come back stronger ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Clement could kickstart new Rangers era by cashing in on £37k-p/w gem
Rangers could potentially sell one of their highest earners this summer…
ByRoss Kilvington
