There was a moment when Alex Lowry looked to be the brightest talent coming out of the Rangers academy.
The attacking midfielder burst onto the scene in Glasgow as a teenager, scoring on his debut after replacing Ianis Hagi against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup back in January 2022.
A string of impressive performances followed and there were high hopes that Alex Lowry could go on and make the grade in Govan.
Rangers also reportedly held off the likes of Newcastle United and Manchester City to tie Lowry down on a new contract in the summer of 2022.
But since then a mixture of injuries and a lack of form have meant things haven’t quite gone to plan for Lowry, who was sent back early from a loan stint at Hearts last season.
Now, the latest sounds suggest that the 21-year-old’s future is likely going to be away from Ibrox if he stands any chance of establishing himself as a first-team footballer.
Lowry to leave Rangers?
Alex Lowry is back at Rangers and took part in the club’s pre-season preparations.
A substitute in pre-season friendlies against Ajax and Manchester United, Lowry hasn’t been seen with the first team since playing the first 45 minutes against Birmingham.
The Rangers midfielder hasn’t even been on the bench for the first two games of the season against Hearts and Dynamo Kiev.
Now, a number of sources are suggesting that Alex Lowry no longer has a future at Rangers.
First Pete O’Rourke reported that Rangers are hoping to sell Lowry before the end of the transfer window, with Adam Devine and Ianis Hagi also on that list.
Football Scotland then added to the discussion around the midfielder, by claiming that Lowry hasn’t been told he has to move on, but that his game time will be limited.
They report that Rangers have already fielded calls on the playmaker after being open and honest about the challenges in the squad this season.
As a result, it’s expected Alex Lowry will leave the club this summer.
Ibrox focus on academy talent
Should Alex Lowry leave Rangers then he becomes the latest in a line of breakthrough talents who never quite made the step up the first team consistently.
Whilst the likes of Leon King and Adam Devine remain in Glasgow, forwards such as Kai Kennedy and Josh McPake went from breakthrough wonderkids to relative obscurity in a matter of months.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been clear that he will be awarding more opportunities for young players with growth from the academy a crucial part of the club’s business model.
Ross McCausland is now a regular feature for Rangers under the Belgian, whilst there have been opportunities given to the likes of Cole McKinnon and Robbie Fraser.
For Alex Lowry however, it all feels like a case of what might’ve been had the club stuck with the kid after his initial breakthrough.
For all parties involved, it feels like a move out of Rangers might be the best thing and let’s hope the Gers retain a transfer interest in the player.
As we’ve seen with the Malik Tillman to Rangers deal, there are ways that the Gers can protect themselves when it comes to moving on their young talents.
