Under manager Philippe Clement, Glasgow Rangers is on the verge of winning a domestic triple crown. He will be hopeful that his injured players can get back to full fitness in time for the final push to the finish line when the international break arrives.
No fan would have predicted six months ago that Clement would win all three of the domestic trophies at his disposal, but the 50-year-old has undoubtedly performed wonders.
Unsatisfied with a club he essentially took over from Michael Beale, Clement entered the January transfer window to add three players to improve his starting lineup.
During his loan period, Fabio Silva has scored four goals, while Mohamed Diomande, who has added two goals, has been a standout player for the Ibrox team in the middle of the midfield.
Oscar Cortes appeared impressive in his limited games for the Light Blues as well, but he sustained an injury against Kilmarnock that necessitated surgery.
The fact that all three of Clement’s new additions are from different continents demonstrates his aim to assemble a team of players from all over the world to compete at the greatest level.
But what if the manager applied Athletic Bilbao’s 1912 transfer policy, which states that the team can only sign players who were born in the Basque nation or who trained at a Basque club?
In December, Rangers named Nils Koppen as their new director of football recruitment. However, imagine the starting lineup he would have if he was limited to signing players from Glasgow or the nearby areas instead of seeking out talent from across the globe.
Could he and Clement put together a team that would compete for awards?
1GK: Liam Kelly
The current Motherwell goalkeeper actually began his career with Rangers, where he advanced through the development academy. Despite spending five seasons at Ibrox, he never made an appearance in the main team and instead enjoyed a number of loan moves.
Having played for the Steelmen for almost 150 games since 2020, he would be selected if the Gers could only select local players.
Nathan Patterson, 2RB
Rangers fans are familiar with the current Everton right-back, who came through the system to play 27 games for the team before heading to the Premier League.
Similar to Kelly, Patterson is not currently with the team, but if Clement could only select and acquire players who were born in Glasgow, Patterson would fit right in the defense.
Leon King, 3CB
Even though King turned 20 in January, it seems like he has been around for a long time. After making his Steven Gerrard debut in 2020, King was called up to the starting lineup in the first few months of the 2022–2023 season because of an injury crisis, and he did a good job.
But he has not seen any senior play since January 2023, trailing Connor Goldson, John Souttar, and now Leon Balogun.
Though Clement has given him the occasional minute here and there over the past several weeks, his future is bright.
Murray Wallace, 4CB
To put it mildly, center back is slim pickings. At the center of the backline, Murray Wallace and Leon King will form a defensive tandem.
Considering that he has approximately 250 career appearances in the second tier and a wealth of Championship experience, Clement may find him to be a dependable resource.
Robbie Fraser, 5LB
We could have gone with Andy Robertson in this situation, but it is out of the question due to his prior Celtic affiliation.
Fraser is one of the few gifted students in the school who will be aiming for an early promotion to the senior team. He leads the B squad as captain, and things seem to be going well for him.
6DM – Kenny McLean
McLean, a player the Rangers have previously been linked to, would start at the base of a four-man midfield.
With 253 Premiership, 131 Championship, and an additional 68 Premier League outings under his belt, McLean is an experienced midfielder who would be a valuable asset to a team full of Glaswegians.
John Fleck, 7CM
Older Rangers fans will recall Fleck winning the Scottish Cup trophy in 2008 at the age of just 16, at which point his promise seemed boundless.
After sixteen years, he is still going strong, despite not being able to truly live up to his extraordinary abilities.
He will play next to a current Scotland great in one of the center midfield positions.
John McGinn, 8CM
Since leading Aston Villa to the League Cup victory with St Mirren in 2013, the captain has made significant progress.
After that, he played for Hibs before completing a transfer to Villa, where he was named captain by Gerrard.
Although McGinn is a mainstay at his present club, Clement would undoubtedly accept McGinn given his abilities if he had the tiniest chance to sign him.
Alex Lowry at nine in the morning
Following his goal on his debut in January 2022, Lowry has been seen as the next great academy prospect to succeed at the senior level.
Despite having played in 13 more games for the team, Lowry has only managed one goal and two assists. However, some believe that the upcoming season may be his most significant to date. He might finally have the opportunity to play to his full potential under Clement if he shows well in the preseason.
Kevin Nisbet (10ST)
Nisbet has previously been connected to the Rangers, and he might provide an offensive threat. He scored 107 goals in all competitions throughout his time in Scotland, which at last allowed him to travel south in the summer.
But he is only managed five goals for Millwall, and he seems to be finding it harder in England than in Scotland.
Lawrence Shankland, 11ST
During the January transfer window, he was the man of the moment at times, but moving to Ibrox was never going to happen.
Since joining Hearts, Shankland has been amazing, scoring 55 goals in just 86 games. If given the chance, he could undoubtedly succeed under Clement.
The whole Rangers lineup, including players from Glasgow: GK Kelly; RB Patterson; CB King; CB Wallace; LB Frasers; DM McLean; CM Fleck; CM McGinn; AM Lowry; ST Nisbet, ST Shankland
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