Glasgow Rangers find themselves in a Premiership title race following their 3-1 win over Ross County on Wednesday and the future looks promising.
Philippe Clement has transformed things at Ibrox in recent times and the next couple of months could see the Gers add to their League Cup triumph from earlier this season.
Securing either of the remaining domestic trophies would be a bonus following the dreadful start to the season under Micheal Beale, and Clement will be targeting the summer transfer window as a chance for him to improve his squad ahead of 2024/25.
Six players are out of contract come the end of the current season, most notably John Lundstram and Borna Barisic, yet there has been no news regarding any extensions, and the Croatian has been attracting interest of late.
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Borna Barisic’s future is unclear at Rangers
Speculation was rife in January that the defender was close to leaving the club, especially considering AS Roma were long term admirers of the left-back.
They were not the only club showing interest, as Dinamo Zagreb from his homeland also looked like they were going to make him an offer if Clement was going to move him on last month.
Nothing materialised, however, and Barisic remains in Glasgow until the end of the season, but with Clement looking to bolster his squad in the summer, it could well be his last stand at Rangers.
Indeed, according to Football Insider, Barisic is in fact ready to leave the Gers for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the season and this suggests the Belgian manager will need to find a replacement during the transfer window.
With Ridvan Yilmaz showcasing his talents over the previous few weeks, does Clement need to splurge out millions on another signing, or could he utilise some of the talent that is emerging through the academy?
Perhaps, young Robbie Fraser could be an ideal candidate.
Robbie Fraser’s future looks bright at Rangers
It’s safe to say that the club have a plethora of talent coming through the ranks on both the left and right sides of the defence.
Johnly Yfeko has already made one first-team appearance this season and is progressing nicely in the B team, while Adam Devine – who can operate on either flank – played a few matches last season for the Gers and is currently on loan at Motherwell, scoring his first professional goal against Aberdeen recently.
Fraser, however, could be ready to take the next step and secure his senior bow for the Light Blues sooner rather than later.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst looked as though he saw plenty of promise in the youngster as Fraser was named on the bench for Rangers during their Champions League clash against Ajax in 2022, and he clearly showcased plenty of ambition to play for the first team, discussing his chances after signing a new contract that same year, saying:
“I feel like I’m getting closer to making that next step into the first team hopefully. I felt that it was the right opportunity to push on.”
The 20-year-old defender clearly shows no shortage of confidence and, given the fact he is also the captain of the B team, he clearly has the right mentality to eventually force himself into the first-team reckoning.
Barisic was known more for his attacking qualities than his defensive acumen, and Fraser shares his love for bursting forward down the left flank, scoring four goals and registering ten assists across 53 youth team matches.
When he does score, they are often excellent goals and one of his free-kick efforts was hailed as “superb” by journalist Jordan Campbell, proving he can be a goal threat from a dead-ball situation.
While Yilmaz has gotten over his recent injury woes to establish himself as a first-team regular since Christmas, Fraser could be an ideal rival to the Turkish defender.
Ridvan Yilmaz’s season in numbers
The former Besiktas defender endured a tough debut campaign in Scotland, making only 11 starts across all competitions for the Gers as injuries hit him hard, and it looked as though he was on his way out during the summer.
Beale still saw Barisic as his number-one choice for the left-back slot, but when Clement arrived in October, the youngster began to see some more action.
Yilmaz has started 13 of Clement’s first 24 matches in charge and has taken full advantage of the fact that Barisic missed several games due to injury prior to Christmas, and he looks like a new player.
The 22-year-old has certainly displayed his attacking qualities, ranking second among the squad for big chances created (five) in the Premiership, while also ranking fourth for key passes per game (1.4), second for successful dribbles per game (1.3) and 12th for goals and assists (two) and there is no doubting his ability to succeed Barisic at left-back over the coming seasons.
This suggests the Light Blues will be more than comfortable going forward without the services of Barisic, as Yilmaz appears to be adept at in attack, while also demonstrating his defensive abilities over the previous few months.
The Gers were linked with numerous names with regard to the left-back position during the January transfer window as it looked as though the club were going to lose either Yilmaz or Barisic.
With Fraser making waves in the B team over the previous 12 months, Clement may have a player who will cost nothing, but could certainly rival Yilmaz for the left-back spot over the next few years.
Until the 49-year-old manager builds up a successful player-trading model, he may do well to utilise some of the young talents coming out of the academy, as if given regular game time, they can succeed.
Ross McCausland is a perfect example. Brought into the side due to injuries back in October, he has shown glimpses of his vast potential, while even scoring on the European stage.
In The Pipeline
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Fraser has yet to taste senior action with Rangers, but with the games coming thick and fast, there may just be an opportunity or two for him to take between now and the end of the campaign, especially if injuries occur.