Rangers youngster makes Allan McGregor claim after international debut

Lewis Budinauckas has expressed his admiration for Rangers legend Allan McGregor as he strives to become the number one at Ibrox.

Speaking to The Daily Record (14 October), 22-year-old goalkeeper Budinauckas said that he's hoping to emulate McGregor's achievements at Ibrox after training with the Gers first team this season.

The stopper signed a new contract at Auchenhowie over the summer despite being well down the pecking order, and made his debut for Scotland Under-21s in their 2-1 defeat to Belgium on 11 October

Budinauckas said: "This season has been good for me because I am training with the first team at Rangers – I’m learning from Jack and Liam Kelly.

"Jack’s been brilliant for me and so is Liam; they are two great guys. I have been spoiled really over the years – McGregor before that and Jon McLaughlin too.

“Allan’s definitely the guy I’ve always looked up to. I’d love to follow in his footsteps.”

Lewis Budinauckas has a long way to go to stake a claim at Rangers

Many an Auchenhowie youngster will hope to emulate what someone like McGregor displayed during his lengthy career at Ibrox, but the road to doing that will be a long one for Budinauckas.

Butland remains the first, and arguably only, choice for Philippe Clement's side between the sticks, and is one of only two players alongside Scotland defender John Souttar to have played every minute this term.

Behind Butland in the pecking order is another international goalkeeper, Liam Kelly, who himself was a Premiership number one with Motherwell before signing on a free transfer this summer.

McLaughlin and Robby McCrorie's departures over the summer, coupled with Kieran Wright's loan move to Airdrieonians, does potentially open the door for the likes of Budinauckas and Mason Munn.

The two academy keepers have their work cut out to shake up the rigid pecking order Clement has instilled at Ibrox, but after his international debut, Budinauckas will be confident of making his mark.

In other Rangers news, Philippe Clement will be sweating over one Ibrox star's fitness .

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