Glasgow Rangers suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Benfica in midweek which means their European ambitions are over for another year.
It could perhaps turn out to be a blessing in disguise, however, as fixture congestion will be avoided with the Gers chasing glory in the Scottish Cup and the Premiership.
Philippe Clement’s side couldn’t work their way through a resolute Benfica defence, although they did have chances throughout the tie to score.
Ultimately, the injury problems that have plagued the Light Blues over the previous few weeks caught up with them.
The likes of Abdallah Sima, Oscar Cortes and Ross McCausland missed the second leg, while Ryan Jack was another absentee.
The Scot has been injury prone throughout his seven-year spell in Glasgow, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, might Clement let the midfielder finally depart the club?
Rangers players who are out of contract
Jack is not the only player who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, as five more first team stars could soon be moving on.
Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, Leon Balogun, John Lundstram, and Borna Barisic have entered into the final few months of their current deals, with only Lundstram really justifying an extension beyond this season.
Moving them on could free up a good chunk of the wage bill, ensuring Clement has plenty of flexibility in the transfer market.
By the looks of things, Jack could certainly be searching for a new club in the coming months, as his appearances this term have been limited.
Ryan Jack’s Rangers record
The 32-year-old joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2017 as he became Pedro Caixinha’s second signing.
He arrived on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Aberdeen and, having made 250 appearances for the Dons, there was no doubting his experience.
Across his first three seasons, Jack missed 41 matches due to a variety of injury problems and this prevented him from really gaining a consistent run in the team.
The 2020/21 campaign saw Steven Gerrard lead the Ibrox side to their first league title in over a decade, but yet again, Jack’s game time was limited due to suffering three separate injury blows.
When he did play, however, the Scot was in fine form. Not only did he rank first among his teammates for accurate passes per game (65) in the league, but he also ranked fourth for accurate long balls per game (3.2) and fifth for interceptions per game (1.1), proving how big an influence he had when he was fit and healthy.
Since the start of the 2021/22 season, however, Jack has featured on just 80 occasions for the club.
This season in particular, Jack has started just 12 matches and his influence is waning, which means a potential departure this summer is expected.
Clement signed Mohamed Diomande during the January transfer market to go along with other midfield options such as Nico Raskin, Lundstram, Dujon Sterling and even Cole McKinnon, who looks like another exciting prospect to emerge from the academy.
The Belgian could already have an ideal replacement for the 32-year-old in a teenager who made his debut under Michael Beale, however, as Bailey Rice has been touted for a big future in the game.
Bailey Rice’s youth team statistics
The 17-year-old began his youth career at Motherwell, before turning down professional terms with the Steelmen in the summer of 2022 in order to join the Gers, and it looked like a real coup for the club.
The teen was hailed as a “prospect” by journalist Mark Hendry amid the Gers interest in the midfielder, while Manchester City were also reportedly keen on signing him.
Player
Age at time of debut
Derek Ferguson
16 years, one month and 14 days
Bailey Rice
16 years, four months and 14 days
Tom Walsh
16 years, four months and 27 days
Paul Nsio
16 years, five months and 15 days
Zak Lovelace
16 years, seven months and 7 days
During his first full season at the Light Blues, Rice made 21 appearances for the B team – showing how highly rated he was – and he scored twice while grabbing an assist in the process.
These displays clearly impressed Beale as the former Gers manager gave Rice his senior bow against Livingston in a Premiership tie last February, leading to the youngster becoming the youngest-ever player to play in the league for the Light Blues.
This, of course, brings its own pressures, but the former Well sensation appears to be handling this rather well.
Rice has been part of the matchday squad on seven occasions this season, making two appearances in the league, and it is clear Clement has big plans for the youngster over the coming years.
Why Bailey Rice can replace Ryan Jack
Like Jack, Rice tends to operate in a slightly deeper defensive midfield slot, which means he can control games with his excellent passing range.
There is no doubt he could be an ideal replacement for the former Dons midfielder, and it would certainly save Clement from delving into the transfer market and spending money.
Rice has shown that he is ready for the challenges of first-team football, and he has plenty of experience on the international stage with Scotland.
Indeed, the 17-year-old has already made nine appearances for the Scotland U19 side, despite only turning 17 last October, while he played 22 matches for the U17 team.
The more experience he gets at this level, the better, especially since he is playing against much better opposition.
Seeing academy players such as Ross McCausland and McKinnon get their chances in recent months will surely fill Rice with confidence that he has the required ability to make the step up soon.
While next season may be a season too early for him to be playing regularly at the top, his potential must be nurtured going forward, just like McCausland.
In The Pipeline
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The Northern Irishman is 20, yet he has made 30 appearances in all competitions for the club this term and this is the level that Rice will be aiming to reach.
Jack has been an excellent servant to the Light Blues since joining in 2017, but it looks as though his Ibrox career is coming to an end in the next few months.
What better way to bow out than by adding another Scottish Cup and Premiership triumph to his collection…
