Rangers icon Brian Laudrup reckons Michael Beale needs to find a quick solution after growing concerned over the "psychological barrier" between his former club and champions Celtic.
The Hoops clinched the Scottish Premiership title with a 2-0 win over Hearts on Sunday and dumped Rangers out the Scottish Cup at the semi-final stage just a fortnight ago. The pair face off yet again this weekend, but Laudrup has questioned whether the Light Blues squad have the belief to prevail against their fierce Glasgow rivals. And he isn't convinced Celtic will stop there as they edge closer to another historic Treble which puts pressure on Rangers to execute a perfect squad rebuild.
Speaking in his Daily Mail column, he said: "I think a lot of people at Rangers would dearly love to see the back of Ange Postecoglou. But that's just the respect the Celtic manager is getting for the job he has done in charge at Parkhead. You would never describe becoming champions of Scotland as an easy feat but Postecoglou's side have won the Premiership title very comfortably this season.
"Celtic have set the benchmark again, just as they did last season. You have to say they have been flawless. They have a clear identity in how they want to play their football and they have been relentless in going about their business. They are not a team that will rest on their laurels. They will go looking for new players this summer and Postecoglou will want to keep raising the bar even higher.
"Looking at Rangers, you would have to say the Ibrox side have done all right since Michael Beale took over last November. I was back in Scotland for the Viaplay Cup final and the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic, and Rangers are not that far away from their old rivals. But there is a gap, that's for sure.
"And there is a sneaking feeling that Rangers are lacking something, perhaps the belief within themselves that they can go out and get a result against Celtic. That's the psychological barrier the Ibrox club needs to overcome as quickly as possible and they have the chance to do that when they host Celtic this Saturday.
"Of course, the match will have no bearing on the season but it's very much a game of incredible importance to Rangers and to Beale. They need to try to get a result and use Saturday as some sort of turning point, not for this season but to give the team self-belief going into the new campaign.
"Rangers have now gone quite a while not being able to beat Celtic and that is painful. So it's up to my old club to add that bit of spice going into the new campaign. Especially at Ibrox, Saturday is a game they can't afford to lose. A victory over Celtic would be huge and it would give Beale some comfort ahead of the summer transfer window, where he is facing the biggest rebuild since perhaps the days of Graeme Souness."
Laudrup also insists getting the summer recruitment spot on will key to Rangers bouncing back from another trophyless campaign, where they have yet gain the upper hand in any of their four clashes with Celtic.
Contract rebel Alfredo Morelos has netted 124 goals in all competitions since arriving at Ibrox under Pedro Caixinha in 2017 but the striker appears to be heading for the exit door after some damming comments from Beale following his 25-minute cameo against Aberdeen on Sunday. And Laudrup thinks finding a new talisman will be top of the close-season shopping list.
He continued: "Top of Beale's shopping list in the summer is a new No 9, after confirming Alfredo Morelos is leaving. The Rangers manager had a dig at Morelos after his performance as a second-half substitute against Aberdeen on Sunday, saying: 'I think you saw the difference in energy in the forward area when Morelos came on. And not in a positive way’.
"It's a sad exit for Morelos. He's the all-time top European goalscorer for Rangers and he's been magnificent in that respect. In a recent column, I said I hoped he would leave Ibrox through the front door and not the back door but the latter is what's now happening.
"Morelos' performances this season have been poor, as has his body language. He's looked unfit and, in the Scottish Cup semi-final, you could have hooked him at half-time. He did nothing for Rangers.
"The problem is good No9s are difficult to find. Celtic unearthed one in Kyogo Furuhashi and Rangers need to find their own gem up front because that's what they have lacked this season. They also need a new left winger to replace Ryan Kent.
"They need prolific new players capable of delivering assists and goals. They haven't had that this season while Celtic have Jota and Kyogo, who regularly deliver on the big stage. Perhaps at the end of the day that's been the difference between the two teams.
"Rangers also need a new goalkeeper and Manchester United's Jack Butland has been mentioned. Robby McCrorie played against Aberdeen on Sunday but experience is vital as a goalkeeper and even more so when you play for Rangers. The great Rangers sides have always had very good and very experienced goalkeepers.
"There are a lot of decisions Beale needs to make, with Malik Tillman another, whether it's worth paying the £5million it would cost to sign him permanently from Bayern Munich. And perhaps we saw a glimpse of the future in the second half of the semi-final at Hampden when Rabbi Matondo, Ridvan Yilmaz and Ianis Hagi all came on. They could be like new signings for Rangers.
"The bottom line is my old club need to get their summer transfer dealings spot-on if they want to stop Celtic striding towards three in a row. If they don't get their recruitment right, pressure will mount very quickly and things could become uncomfortable for Beale. Rangers are lacking something, perhaps belief they can get a result against Celtic."
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