Michael Beale revealed he wants up to three new players as he continues his summer recruitment drive - and says he first set the wheels in motion to bring Sam Lammers to Ibrox three months ago as he admitted the new boys have given him real hope for the new season.
Beale has recruited five new players and revealed how he and his backroom team took the quintet out for a slap up meal as he teaches them the demands of life at Ibrox. The Englishman and his players returned for pre-season training on Friday and will spend time being put through their paces at Auchenhowie before heading to Germany for a closed door camp.
The Light Blues face Hoffenheim in a friendly and will then return to Scotland with pre season games against Newcastle United and Hamburg pencilled. And then it will be all systems go for the big Scottish Premiership kick off at Kilmarnock and the crucial Champions League qualifiers. Beale hopes to have further additions by then, with Cyriel Dessers and Danilo two players the club has been chasing, saying: "Everyone felt we wanted new faces and freshness and we’ve got that. I’m pleased to say it won’t stop there - there’s maybe two or three more that we’re also looking recruit over the summer.” The Gers boss sat down with Rangers TV to give the lowdown on pre-season and the five new signings. Here’s what he had to say on each.
Sam Lammers
I know Sam really well from being an Academy coach and playing against the PSV youth teams. He’s a boy we tried to recruit at Rangers previously and we weren’t able to afford him because he went to Serie A for big money. He’s moved around a bit the last couple of years and hasn’t found a home. He has a home now, he’s a No. 10 that brings so much versatility to our game. He’s another left footer like Kieran so gives us fantastic balance in those positions which we lost when we lost Joe Aribo.
He has a really good presence, is a goal threat and I was really excited to bring him in. What people didn’t see as far back as March is that me and Neil (Banfield) flew to meet Sam Lammers and me and Damian flew to Italy to meet some players. I’ve been all over with the different staff - John Park - to meet these players and speak to their clubs, to recruit them, their agents, families. For everyone there has been a lot of work in bringing the new players in so naturally it’s exciting. We took the five new boys out with the coaching staff to break the ice. We’ve been waiting for this. We didn’t join the club where they were in a fantastic place so it’s a great chance to look forward with optimism and build the team we want to see.
Kieran Dowell
I’m really excited about Kieran signing. He’s a player who has played extensively through the England schoolboy system up until the Under-21s. He was a boy when I was at Liverpool who was across the way at Everton. Left footer, can play in midfield, as a No. 10, can score goals, good passer of the ball.
He’s played with Tom Lawrence, John Lundstram, Todd Cantwell and Dujon Sterling in the past. So there was a good fit to some of the other work and players we had in the building. I really like him as a boy. We lived quite close together when we both lived in Liverpool and I’m delighted we managed to get him - it was an excellent opportunity for Rangers and Kieran.
Jack Butland
Jack has got fantastic experience as a young goalkeeper just turned 30. He’s very much a family man, has three children like myself. We have a lot in common off the pitch as well. He had a huge start to his career and has been around the elite level for a long time. He’s just come out of a Man Utd changing room that did well last season and played in two cup finals and the experience of that and being around Europe and those players.
He’s a mature man and speaks very well, he’s very commanding - 6’ 5” - and it’s important we recruited him and he’ll compete with Robby, Jon and Kieran for the shirt. I wanted to add competition and with Allan moving on it's a significant position for us to strengthen and we’re delighted to have him.
Dujon Sterling
Dujon is a very aggressive defender, very athletic. He’s a strong boy, I’ve known him since he was seven years old when we recruited him for Chelsea. I was there the very first night he came in and have followed his career. He was doing fantastically well at Chelsea but had a period out with an illness which held him back. But he’s come back the last two years and done extremely well on loans and it was an opportunity to take a player I knew very well and I know his skillset and what he will bring to us. He adds versatility. He can play across the back four, wing back, full back, a back three as a centre back as well. I’m delighted to have Dujon.
Abdallah Sima
We’re all familiar with Abdallah from the games in the Europa League (against Slavia Prague) back in the 2020/21 season. He took Europe by storm a little bit with his performances against us, scoring against Leicester and doing ever so well against Arsenal. He’s extremely versatile - he can play as a No, 9, 10, wide on both sides - and he’s just turned 22.
Brighton were very shrewd in signing him because he’s a player with high potential but needs stability and we’ll give that to him here at Rangers and the best chance to fulfil his potential. When I came back in November I watched him closely in the French league. He was playing for a team fighting at the bottom but scored some really important goals against Lyon and Marseille. I like him a lot, he gives us a presence we haven’t had in those positions. He’s very quick, can dribble and is a big boy as well.
Pre season plans
It’s an important period. We’ll have a week’s training here and then pick a squad to go away to Germany to work in isolation. It’s important to have that time in private and work and bond and bring the squad together. It’s a remote venue to focus on the football and then we come back to some exciting pre season games. Allan McGregor’s testimonial will be a special night for him but imagine the new players - their first time at Ibrox against a quality Premier League and Champions League games. From that moment we’ll be racing towards the season.The first couple of days of pre season is about testing. Running tests, normal medical tests and heart monitoring.
Each day that passes more international players will return. Nico Raskin played the latest so he’ll have a couple more weeks off and will join us after Germany. It will be about helping the young players and new players. It will be about giving them clarity on our style and the glue in all that will be the ones who have been here for a while. We’ll be working quickly on our style and identity. It’s important the players are in tune with that, as much as getting fit. We’ll spend time with the new and young players to help them integrate.
Hopes for the season ahead
I always think natural enthusiasm, motivation, energy are some really undervalued qualities in a football club and just speaking to these boys and their families over the summer the excitement they have to come and join Rangers is huge. It’s a very special moment for them.
That energy and quality they have bringing that into the building is fantastic and for the fans there’s some new faces they can get to know and support and it brings a real freshness into the building. From November down our league form and points total was healthy but everyone felt we wanted new faces and freshness and we’ve got that. I’m pleased to say it won’t stop there - there’s maybe two or three more that we’re also looking recruit over the summer.
There will be one or two that move out. I’m looking for real energy, excitement, freshness and motivation to match mine and if that matches what me and the staff and the fans join then we’ve got exciting times ahead. Footballers have two new year’s resolutions - one before the start of a new season and the one everyone has at the new year so everyone comes in optimistic. The boys look good, a lot of them have a little bit of colour on their skin so they look bright and have all come back in good shape which is fantastic and with the fixtures out it becomes very real and exciting.
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