Brace for a big summer rebuild

A chunk of our squad are OOC or coming off loans, which leaves a huge summer job ahead. Still, there's reason for optimism — finish the season and let the board do the rest.

You've laid it out blunt and clear: by the time the season finishes we'll be light. Kelly leaves on a free in a few months, and with a string of first and second-choice defenders OOC or at the end of loans, the squad looks set for a serious summer reshuffle.

The scale of the departures

Kelly, Wright, Tavernier, Souttar, Aarons, Djiga, Cornelius and Meghoma are all named as likely exits unless out-of-contract players are offered extensions. Add in other loans and OOC players and the claim is that the first-team could be down roughly a dozen bodies by season’s end. That’s before any sales the club might make.

Put simply, it’s a big hole to fill. Depth matters across the campaign — domestic cup runs, the league grind and European nights all demand numbers. Losing so many players in key defensive positions would force a proper rebuilding job, not just tinkering at the edges.

What the summer will look like

We’re probably staring at one of the largest squad rebuilds since our return to the top flight. That doesn’t have to be scary. It means the board and recruitment team have to be sharp, prioritise areas of need and move early once the window opens. That could be signings, loans coming in, and a few contract renewals if the club wants continuity.

There’s room for youth to step up too. We’ve seen youngsters come through when given the chance. But experience will be necessary, especially in defence, to keep us competitive on all fronts.

Why I’m not panicking

You can be realistic without being doom-laden. The view that “plenty of deals are being negotiated and finalised” isn’t blind optimism — it’s the usual faith fans place in the recruitment cycle. If the club backs the manager and gets the business done, we can still put together a strong side capable of dominating domestically and doing well in Europe.

For now the focus is simple: finish the job on the pitch. Let’s get that double done and dusted, then let the summer chaos begin. You’ll hear the same points on Rangers News Views — big workload ahead, but possible to sort it right if everyone does their bit.

Written by LAUDRUPHAGI: 24 February 2026