Rangers youngster Zac Butterworth has left Ibrox on loan, joining SPFL League Two club Edinburgh City until January.
The 19-year-old midfielder formed part of the Gers U20 and Colt squads last season and is heading out for his first experience of first-team football.
Butterworth is highly-rated at Ibrox and is under contract until the summer of 2021 after earning a lengthy extension back in November 2018 [Rangers Youth Academy Twitter].
The Scotland youth international made occasional appearances under Graeme Murty last season, turning out against BSC Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Youth League and coming on as a late substitute in the 2-0 Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Wrexham at Ibrox.
Butterworth follows in the footsteps of the likes of Aidan Wilson and Aidan McAdams, young Gers players have also joined The Citizens on loan in the past.
Rangers have asserted that loans manager, Billy Kirkwood, will closely monitor the player’s progress throughout his stint [Rangers.co.uk].
Zac Butterworth joins Edinburgh City on loan from Rangers – Verdict
It’s an established practice for the Gers to send talented young players out to gain experience in the lower divisions of the SPFL and Butterworth will no doubt be looking forward to testing himself for the first time at senior level.
The League Two season isn’t scheduled to begin until October but it looks as though Rangers are keen to get him to the capital as soon as possible so he’s ready to contribute from the opening day.
Much has been made about the current lack of homegrown players in the first team and while Butterworth may be some way off that level right now, he’ll be hoping a strong few months in Edinburgh will earn him a new deal and catapult him up the Ibrox pecking order.
