Michael Beale development surely sets Rangers tone as Ryan Jack now stares at Ibrox exit
As January edges closer Michael Beale will be looking ahead and assessing how he is going to shape his Rangers squad.
Drastic changes are unlikely to occur in January, but with a number of players out of contract in the summer, Beale will have to be planning well ahead when it comes to his transfer business.
Unsurprisingly, the former QPR boss has already been linked to a couple of players, the most recent being Fulham’s 25-year-old midfielder, Josh Onomah. Birmingham Live suggest (7 December) the Gers’ boss has already lined up a loan move ahead of the window, as he looks to begin his squad revamp.
The centre of midfield is an ageing area of the Englishman’s squad with Scott Arfield and Steven Davis both entering the latter stages of their careers. With both out of contract in the summer of 2023, it seems likely that the duo will depart Ibrox when their deals come to a close.
Another player who has faced an uncertain future is Ryan Jack, with the midfielder also out of contract in the summer and having faced some injury issues in the 2023 season. However, he is only 30, and could well be of use to the new Rangers boss for a couple more years.
The midfielder is yet to enter negotiations over a new deal and the latest links to Onomah could well have made Beale’s intentions very clear when it comes to Jack’s future.
Considering his age and amount of games he’s played this season, the new boss may not feel comfortable having an ageing and unreliable player on his books in the long run.
The former Tottenham youngster represents a longer-term project for Rangers, and potentially the first step to a larger squad overhaul under their new boss.
In other Rangers news, a first new arrival has already been lined up with confidence that a deal can be struck to bring him to Scotland.