Glasgow Rangers return to domestic action this weekend as they look to continue their bright form under Philippe Clement.
Following six wins and a draw in seven matches, the Ibrox side appears to be rejuvenated, and the onus is now to continue their upwards trajectory.
They could even secure a trophy before Christmas, as they face Hearts in the League Cup final next month, while progress in the Europa League is certainly attainable and things are looking good for the Light Blues.
Despite having to work with a squad he inherited from Michael Beale, Clement has managed to get a tune from some of the summer signings who initially struggled under the former QPR boss.
Cyriel Dessers has scored three times under the former Club Brugge boss, while Danilo has emerged as one of the finest attacking options at the club.
The Brazilian has also thrived under the 49-year-old, netting three times while grabbing four assists, and he has been given the freedom and confidence to play his own game, which appears to be paying dividends.
Another key aspect about Clement which has further endeared him to the Ibrox faithful is the fact he isn’t scared in placing his trust in young players.
Due to several injures, talented winger Ross McCausland was given a start against Livingston just prior to the international break, and he certainly took his chance by winning a penalty in the first half while looking lively throughout.
This will give him a massive confidence boost heading into the future and the good news for Clement is there are plenty of other young talents emerging from the academy.
Here are three players who look set to burst through under the Belgian to follow in McCausland's footsteps…
1 Zak Lovelace
In a way, Lovelace has already begun to make his mark in the senior side, as he was given his first start for the Gers in a tie against St Mirren last month, yet this was under interim manager Steven Davis.
He made his debut for Millwall aged just 15 and his limitless potential led Giovanni van Bronckhorst to snap him last summer from the London side.
It didn’t take long for the Dutchman to give him a senior bow in Glasgow, as the young forward came off the bench against Queen of the South in August 2022, and he even made his Old Firm debut towards the end of the season.
The 17-year-old scored 18 goals and grabbed ten assists for the B team last season and, despite being restricted to just six minutes under Beale, Davis unleashed him from the start against the Buddies.
He looked bright before suffering an injury, and he hasn’t been seen since. Clement will be keeping his eye on his recovery, however, as there is no doubt he could play a key role in the side once he is fit.
2 Bailey Rice
The former Motherwell player became Rangers’ youngest-ever league debutant in February this year as he emerged from the bench against Livingston aged just 16 years, four months and 14 days.
Lauded as a “prospect” by journalist Mark Hendry in January last year when the Gers and Manchester City were sniffing about him, it's clear he has everything required to make the grade at the club in the coming years.
The 17-year-old has made another two domestic appearances for the Ibrox side this season, yet none have come under Clement.
The club are stacked in the central midfield area, but as time goes on, he could well get another chance in the senior squad.
The Belgian will be keeping a keen eye on his development for the B team, especially with the quality he has shown so far, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rice make another appearance or two in the coming months, especially if the fixtures pile up.
McCausland’s recent rise over the previous few months will give him confidence that in time, he could be starting games for the Gers and this is what he should be targeting.
3 Alex Lowry
The Scot is perhaps the most highly-rated talent among the youth sides at Ibrox, especially with the way he broke through and shone upon his debut for the club back in January 2022.
He replaced Ianis Hagi in a Scottish Cup tie against Stirling Albion, and it didn’t take him long to make an impact, scoring a few moments later.
Another six appearances followed throughout the remainder of that campaign, and he even made the bench for the Europa League final in May 2022, but the Gers lost on penalties, and he didn’t make it onto the pitch.
A knee injury restricted his impact to just seven senior matches last term and this set his development back slightly and Beale sent him on a season-long loan to Hearts for the current season.
The 20-year-old has already made 15 appearances for the Jambos, and he has impressed in spells in the capital.
Not only has the attacking midfielder registered seven goal contributions, but he currently ranks third in the squad for shots on target per game (0.6), fourth for big chances created (one) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.4), demonstrating his ability in a club who are challenging for the European spots and this experience at the highest level will stand him in good stead.
Clement is clearly determined to secure success at Rangers and early indications suggest he will leave no stone unturned in the process.
While he aims to bolster his senior squad in the transfer market, there are players closer to home who could give him some different options going forward, while bolstering the home-based quota for European ties.
The three players mentioned all have the opportunity during Clement’s spell in charge to make inroads into the first team and showcase their abilities on a regular basis.
McCausland has proven that the chances are there for talented youngsters if they are good enough and Lovelace, Rice and Lowry have all demonstrated how good they can be with their fleeting appearances in the Ibrox first team.