Rangers’ new director of recruitment Nils Koppen had a sizeable job on his hands at Ibrox this summer.
The Belgian transfer guru had only just got his feet under the desk inside the famous old stadium before he was cast into the January transfer market.
But it wasn’t until this summer that much of the work really begun as the axe swung within the Ibrox dressing room and Rangers sought to cut their inflated wage bill.
Come the end of the window, it’s clear Rangers are still short in a number of positions and the jury is very much out as to whether this season’s squad is as good as last season’s underachievers.
But whilst the judgement of Koppen’s window will be made in other departments, come its close the Belgian failed to move on three players for whom opportunity at Rangers seems to have passed.
Opportunity passes for Rangers academy trio
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been very clear that the club must hand more opportunities to their brightest academy talents.
And so far the Belgian has largely stayed true to that promise.
Ross McCausland continues to be a regular feature in the first-team squad, whilst Robbie Fraser and Cole McKinnon have been handed their opportunities by the ex-AS Monaco manager.
But there are three players propping up the Rangers squad who are so far out of the first-team picture it begs the question, why weren’t they moved on this summer?
Leon King is the stand-out name on the list.
The once highly-rated defender has failed to bounce back from that Champions League baptism of fire in 22/23 and has yet to feature under Philippe Clement this season.
League Two Salford City were linked to Leon King as the window prepared to close but a move never transpired and now the 20-year-old faces another season campaign up the club’s squad.
Then there’s the curious case of right-back talent Adam Devine, another who broke into the Rangers team a few years ago but was farmed out on loan to Motherwell in the first half of this year.
Returning in the summer, Devine has the likes of James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo in front of him and minutes will be limited.
Finally, there is attacking midfielder Alex Lowry who burst onto the scene in January 2023 but since then has struggled to break back into the side.
Seeing a loan spell at Hearts cut short last season, injury has had a big role to play in Lowry’s stuttering development but he is yet to feature under Philippe Clement and finds himself turning out in the Rangers B team.
Rangers squad rebuild far from complete
Rangers have a number of young players threatening to break through into the Ibrox first-team.
Ross McCausland is already there, whilst Robbie Fraser is a favourite of Philippe Clement’s and Cole McKinnon & Zak Lovelace remain highly thought of at the club.
Midfielder Bailey Rice is another of whom big things are expected, with England youth international Archie Stevens also highly-rated.
But considering the competition and Clement’s track record of selections, it really remains to be seen how Leon King, Adam Devine and Alex Lowry fit into the jigsaw.
It then brings into question why Rangers have not found a suitable solution to the situation with all three players, especially given they will likely play little football for the first-team this season.
It’s yet further evidence that Rangers’ rebuild is only just in its infancy with Nils Koppen set to have his work cut out for the next few windows just yet.
