Tam McManus names Rangers trio among best in league

Tam McManus has named three Rangers players as being worth including in a best XI for the Scottish Premiership so far this term.

The ex-Hibs striker agreed with Scott Allan’s suggestion of John Souttar over Celtic star Cameron Carter-Vickers on PLZ Soccer on 9 October, while also putting Connor Barron and Jefte into the debate.

Souttar, 28, has been ever-present across all competitions for Philippe Clement this term and a contract extension is expected to be announced imminently [Daily Record, 1 October].

Barron arrived on a free transfer in the summer after leaving Aberdeen and was an immediate starter in midfield, while was another permanent signing during the transfer window who has been pressed into sustained action thanks to injury to Ridvan Yilmaz.

Connor Barron impresses at Rangers after Aberdeen exit

In terms of building blocks for a future Rangers that begins to properly challenge again there have been some positive signs, even if the campaign as a whole has been a disappointment so far.

Jefte in particular has shown why Clement wanted to sign him in January last season only to be frustrated by loan club APOEL [Daily Record, 28 January].

The Brazilian doesn’t turn 21 until late December and has arguably already surpassed the injury-prone Yilmaz in terms of reliability, even if there is still some way he will need to improve still.

Barron, 22, divides opinion in that he has been one of the early positives this term but arguably wouldn’t have seen as much action as he has – 13 games with 11 starts – if the transfer window has been more successful.

But as a squad player he looks like an asset, especially if he is able to develop further thanks to his extensive game time.

That there may not be any Ibrox players who are sure-fire additions to a team of the season as things stand is a measure of the transitional period at Ibrox currently.

It has been tough to swallow but with Clement backed to continue the process whatever the results for the foreseeable future [Rangers Review, 10 October] it looks like the club are convinced it will work out in the long term.

In other Rangers news, a controversial investor has been backed to come “straight through the door” at Ibrox.

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