WITH the start of the Scottish Premiership season just around the corner, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad is beginning to take shape following the recent arrivals of Antonio Colak, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo.
Joe Aribo, meanwhile, has went in the opposite direction, with more likely to follow out of the Ibrox exit door as Rangers look to trim a squad that, although appears lean in some areas, is at risk of overinflating in others.
The Rangers Review runs the rule over several players on the fringes of the squad.
Kemar Roofe
The latest episode in the forward’s Ibrox fitness woes came when it was revealed last week that injury had prevented the Jamaica international from travelling to Portugal for the side's pre-season training camp.
The 29-year-old has been plagued by injury since arriving in Glasgow, but it came to a head at the end of last season when van Bronckhorst was forced to field Joe Aribo as a makeshift striker in the Europa League final after Roofe wasn’t deemed fit. It only took a couple of weeks following injury to Alfredo Morelos before the string of successive starts took their toll on the former Leeds man, reaffirming the belief that he cannot be relied upon in the medium-to-long term.
However, he is evidently a deadly goalscorer – netting 34 goals across his two seasons at Ibrox despite his injury issues – and the 29-year-old boasts a wealth of experience. Van Bronckhorst could do worse than turn to Roofe in desperate situations given his predatory instinct inside the penalty area, with any brief substitute appearances likely to reduce the toll on his body.
Verdict: Keep as he could be an important factor off the bench next season
Nikola Katic
Having spent last season on loan in Croatia, van Bronckhorst only first encountered Katic this pre-season
The 25-year-old last made a competitive appearance for Rangers back in March 2020, with the Gers ending both the long wait for a Scottish Premiership title and reaching the Europa League final in the meantime.
The Croatian is at his best as a backs-to-the-wall defender, but Rangers’ domestic superiority over the majority of teams mean they are very rarely pinned inside their own defensive third. Instead, van Bronckhorst requires his defenders to be comfortable in possession, an area of the game that requires improvement from Katic.
READ MORE: Rangers' squad profiled: A 'dormant not dead' position and key contract questions
John Souttar’s arrival from Hearts has also knocked the Croatian further down the pecking order, while Katic’s presence is blocking the pathway to first-team minutes for 18-year-old Leon King.
Verdict: Sell as he doesn't suit van Bronckhorst's style
Stephen Kelly
A midfielder who always appeared a greater fit in Steven Gerrard’s system is now at a crossroads under a different manager.
Kelly spent the second half of last season on loan at Salford City, with Rangers seemingly keen to expose him to a more physical environment given his slight frame. Kelly will hope that there is a clearer avenue to the first-team under van Bronckhorst, with the Dutchman reducing the responsibility on his midfielder to playmaker compared to Gerrard.
However, at 22-years-old the midfielder is wasting precious time in his career stuck behind more experienced pros in Steven Davis, Glen Kamara, John Lundstram and Ryan Jack. Rangers are also seemingly keen to expedite the progress of 20-year-old Charlie McCann in midfield, with Kelly at risk of being surplus to requirements.
Verdict: Sell as he has fallen too far down the pecking order
Jack Simpson
The former Bournemouth man fell behind 18-year-old King in the pecking order towards the end of last season as van Bronckhorst utilised the depth of his squad ahead of the Europa League final.
Recruited by Gerrard, Simpson started just one league game last season – the 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Ibrox in September – and he has yet to catch the eye of van Bronckhorst. Under contract until 2025, however, Rangers will find it difficult to find a buyer in the transfer market.
READ MORE: Rangers transfer scouting: The Moroccan international capable of filling Joe Aribo void
Having paid nothing for his services after securing the defender on a pre-contract, Sporting Director Ross Wilson could be prepared to stomach a scenario where Simpson walks for pennies.
Verdict: Sell as his contribution has been minimal in recent years
Glenn Middleton
It feels like an age since Middleton burst onto the scene at Ibrox under Gerrard in the 2018/19 campaign, with the 22-year-old falling out of the picture as the side moved away from a traditional 4-3-3 towards the end of that season.
Subsequently, Middleton secured a Scottish Cup winners’ medal on loan at St. Johnstone in 2021, netting a sumptuous free-kick against St. Mirren in the semi-final at Hampden. His second stint in Perth last season proved more challenging, with Callum Davidson’s men scoring the fewest goals in the division as they secured top-flight survival by the skin of their teeth via the play-offs.
A year left on his deal at Ibrox, Middleton returns to a side short on wide options in van Bronckhorst’s traditional 4-3-3 formation. Rangers may look to secure a modest fee this summer but, in a worst-case scenario where the Gers are stretched financially, the Dutchman may look to retain Middleton’s qualities on the flanks.
Verdict: Sell, although he could provide a fresh short-term option for van Bronckhorst in the event of no Champions League football
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