5 stars who could shine under next Rangers boss

Glasgow Rangers are now searching for their fourth permanent manager since Steven Gerrard departed the club in November 2021.

In that time, just two trophies have been won – the 2022 Scottish Cup and the 2023 League Cup – while the Ibrox side reached the Europa League final in the 2021/22 campaign.

Aside from this, it has been underwhelming to say the least. Barry Ferguson replaces Philippe Clement on an interim basis until the end of the season, although there is nothing to play for apart from progress in Europe.

It is a sad state of affairs that the Light Blues’ hopes of domestic silverware are over by February, proving how badly the club has been run recently.

There is plenty of talent among the first-team squad. Under the right manager, this group of players could achieve some success. The key question now is who will take over the Light Blues ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Regardless of who it is, there are five players in the team who could be revived under a change of leadership. Rangers’ 3-1 first-leg win over Fenerbahce may rekindle hope of brighter times ahead, so which players could start a revival of their Ibrox careers?

We have taken a look into who could benefit ahead of next season.

1

Mohamed Diomande

Mohamed Diomande was signed by Clement during the winter transfer window last season, initially on loan before signing permanently last summer.

The former FC Nordsjaelland midfielder has since racked up 62 games

for the Light Blues, scoring seven times while chipping in with nine assists.

However, there are still doubts as to where his best position lies. This season, he has been utilised as an attacking midfielder (8 games) and in a more defensive role (17 games), while showcasing his talents across a range of metrics.

In the top flight, he has created six big chances while averaging 1.1 key passes per game. Defensively, Diomande has won 54% of his total duels and averages 1.1 tackles per match in the Scottish Premiership.

His positional flexibility has been one of his biggest strengths, but is it time for a manager to play him in a fixed role? With Lyall Cameron joining the club in the summer and the emergence of Bailey Rice, perhaps the Ivorian could shine if deployed as a No 10 next season.

If so, expect to see Diomande produce some of his best football for the Light Blues, which could lead to plenty of clubs showing interest.

2

Nedim Bajrami

It is safe to say that Nedim Bajrami hasn’t exactly produced the goods since joining the Ibrox side last summer.

For an outlay of £3.4m, the attacking midfielder has registered nine goal contributions in all competitions, often playing out of position on the left flank.

There have been flashes of his brilliance, most notably in the League Cup final against Celtic and during the Europa League games earlier this season, but was poor in the weeks leading up to Clement’s dismissal.

A new manager could look to bring out the best in the Albanian, who certainly has a point to prove in Glasgow ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

3

Oscar Cortes

Clement secured the loan signing of Oscar Cortes in January 2024, although he lasted just seven games before suffering a season-ending injury against Kilmarnock in February.

At the time of writing, the Colombian winger has endured another injury-plagued season, featuring eight times. Rather than revive a player who hasn’t had the chance to show his worth, the new manager must get Cortes fit and healthy ahead of the new season.

The left-winger could cement his place in the starting XI by performing well in pre-season, particuarly since his position has been a troublesome one for the Gers since Ryan Kent departed.

Indeed, Ianis Hagi, Rabbi Matondo and Nedim Bajrami have played there throughout the current season. Cortes can be an ideal long-term solution to this problem, but the new manager must ensure he doesn’t suffer any more setbacks.

4

Danilo

Like Cortes, Danilo’s spell at Rangers has been blighted by injury since joining in a £6m deal from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023.

A tally of six goals and five assists last season was promising, although he played just 21 games due to suffering two serious injuries, hampering his overall impact.

Seven goals and three assists this season – including two goals against Celtic – demonstrated that the Brazilian could play a key part in the squad. More injury issues occurred when he damaged his shoulder in January, ensuring yet another spell on the sidelines.

If the striker can hit top form on his return, the new manager could have a player ready and raring to go ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Will they be able to bring out the very best in the 25-year-old? Only time will tell.

5

Leon King

This may be a contentious choice, but Leon King is a player who is approaching a crossroads in his Ibrox career.

The centre-back featured 23 times for the Ibrox side during the 2022/23 campaign due to injury issues at the heart of the defence. The youngster even played in all six Champions League matches for the club.

Since then, he’s made a total of 11 appearances, with only two of those in the starting XI, indicating that Clement didn’t exactly trust the Scot.

Despite being thrown in the deep end during the Gers’ Champions League group stage fixtures a couple of seasons ago, King managed to win 50% of his total duels contested, while also averaging 1.7 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game.

It may not have been enough to see the club secure a win, but his performances certainly weren’t the worst out of the squad, that’s for sure.

Whoever arrives to take over the managerial vacancy this summer, King will be keen to impress. Now hopefully getting more regular game time at Queen’s Park until the end of the 2024/25 campaign, this could be the catalyst for a successful career at the club if given a chance next term.

If not, he could well be looking for a new team before the summer transfer window shuts. Hopefully, he can rise to the challenge, as he has the potential to be an excellent defender.