Rangers loan pair Lewis Mayo and Mateusz Zukowski are preparing to return to uncertain futures at Ibrox this summer after loan spells with Kilmarnock and Lech Poznan respectively.
Lewis Mayo in particular has managed to impress during his loan spell at Rangers’ Premiership rivals Kilmarnock, the 23-year-old former Scotland youth international playing 39 games for the Rugby Park side this season.
But ex-Gdansk full-back Mateusz Zukowski, 21, has not fared quite so brightly back on loan in Poland at Lech Poznan, managing only three Estraklasa appearances this season.
Both players are at important junctures of their footballing careers and it will be interesting to see how Rangers deal with the duo heading into the new season.
A summer of change is blowing into Ibrox with Michael Beale set to head up a serious rebuild. At the moment, it looks highly unlikely either Mayo or Zukowski will have a place in it.
Rangers futures of Lewis Mayo and Mateusz Zukowski uncertain
Mayo was, at one point, the brightest young centre-back option at Rangers, despite never making a first-team appearance at Ibrox. But he has now been usurped by the likes of Leon King.
With Rangers unlikely to renew injury-prone Filip Helander’s contract, and Ben Davies also linked with the exit, there will be reinforcements needed at centre-back.
But it’s the likes of Arsenal’s Auston Trusty who are dominating the discussion as Mayo weighs up his options ahead of the summer, with the defender out of contract at the end of next season.
Similarly, Zukowski looks unlikely to force his way into Michael Beale’s plans, after a disappointing season in Poland saw him shunted to Lech Poznan’s reserve team.
Signed by outgoing Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson for a reported £400k fee in 2019 following the sale of Nathan Patterson, the transfer just hasn’t worked as things stand, with the player contracted to the club until 2026.
With Rangers also linked to the likes of versatile full-back Dujon Sterling, there is unlikely to be a place in the squad for the young Pole who has seen his career stagnate of late.
As both Zukowski and Mayo prepare to return to Rangers, it remains uncertain what the future holds for the pair. But it’s certainly unlikely they will play a role in Beale’s team as things stand.