If Rangers really are to become self-sufficient, Nils Koppen must find a way for the club to develop their own players.
The academy has been given a reboot in recent weeks with Philippe Clement said to be behind the plan of sending more youth prospects out on loan for regular, competitive game time, and more B team regulars have been promoted to the first team squad.
The manager has clearly been impressed with what he has seen, with two of them joining Ianis Hagi in being offered a new Rangers contract.
Rangers close to agreeing to a new deal for Findlay Curtis
Findlay Curtis’ debut against Fraserburgh couldn’t have gone much better with an assist and another key pass to release Cyriel Dessers in the build-up to another, fully justifying fans’ demands to promote the forward.
Such was his impact that Clement threw him in at the deep end at Old Trafford against Man Utd, where the 18-year-old again more than held his own.
According to The Rangers Review, Zak Lovelace is the third attacking player to be offered new terms, with Scott Burns of The Scottish Daily Express providing an update specifically on Curtis:
“Rangers are set to agree to a new 3-year deal with talented teenager Findlay Curtis.
“The midfielder made his debut against Fraserburgh and came on against Manchester United.”
“The midfielder made his debut against Fraserburgh and came on against Manchester United.”
What did Clement say about Curtis and his future at Rangers?
Clement praised Curtis and Bailey Rice for how well they handled the pressure at Old Trafford, with Lovelace unlucky not to get game time too; he had been stripped and ready only for Dessers’ goal to change the Gers boss’ plans.
“It’s a huge, huge experience for them,” said Clement. “They’re only 18 years old; they never played at the highest level to come on this pitch and also to be brave.”
“So yeah, a lot of congratulations towards them but also towards the staff who prepared them the last weeks, months, and years in the club and also to the senior players who create a very good environment for the young guys to come on the pitch, that they are not afraid, that they feel they are helped, secured, and coached by the others, and that they can express their qualities.
“So, it’s a massive experience for them. They’re both, for me, very talented players for the future of Rangers.
“They’re not ready yet to be starting XI all the time, that’s also clear, but they have the right mentality and they’re going to make a good evolution the next years that they will become starting XI players for the future I think.”
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