Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement has committed to the cause, signing a contract extension until 2028 recently.
This should give the Ibrox faithful a boost, proving that the Belgian is here for the long term as he aims to rebuild the team in a bid to restore the Old Firm side as the best team in the country.
The Premiership opener against Hearts will see the Gers under pressure to secure a positive result, but if they do, it could be the catalyst for them to enjoy a solid first few weeks.
The 50-year-old tactician has made nine summer signings already. With four weeks left until the summer transfer window slams shut, there could be a few more.
Several first-team players have departed the club, most notably Connor Goldson, and it is clear that the manager has to use funds raised by these sales to bolster his squad.
With the Englishman leaving after six years, it was clear that the defence had to be strengthened heading into the 2023/24 campaign.
Player
Club joined
Sam Lammers
Twente
Connor Goldson
Aris Limassol
Ryan Jack
Without a club
Kemar Roofe
Without a club
John McLaughlin
Without a club
John Lundstram
Trabzonspor
Borna Barisic
Trabzonspor
Robby McCrorie
Kilmarnock
It didn’t take Clement long to find a suitable replacement, bringing in Dutch defender Robin Propper from FC Twente to fill the void left by Goldson.
He will likely go straight into the starting XI to play the Jambos this afternoon, and he could turn out to be a wonderful addition.
Robin Propper’s season in numbers for FC Twente
The Dutchman played 40 games for the top-flight side last season, missing just one league match in total, which shows how consistent he is.
He captained Twente during every single Eredivisie match too, meaning the Light Blues have signed a player who knows what it is like to lead a side.
Among his teammate's last term, Propper ranked first for accurate passes per game (57.4), while also ranking first for accurate long balls per game (4.5), third for interceptions per game (one) and first for clearances per game (2.6), clearly showcasing his skills across a range of metrics.
His forward-thinking abilities were also on show. When compared to his positional peers in the men’s next 14 competitions, Propper ranked in the top 4% for shot-creating actions (1.54), the top 6% for progressive passes (5.66) and in the top 10% for non-penalty goals.
These statistics clearly demonstrate that Propper is a wonderful passer of the ball but loves to move it quickly up the pitch in order to begin attacks. This mindset could mean he will be a solid signing for the club.
Aged 30, he is currently in the prime of his career and if Clement can get two or three years out of the centre-back, then it will be money well spent – with Twente chief Arnold Bruggink revealing that the deal was secured for just £1.5m, due to a clause in the player's contract.
Clement already has a defender at Rangers who is worth more than Propper, and if he manages to shine during the 2024/25 campaign, then his market value could skyrocket over the next few months – Ridvan Yilmaz.
Ridvan Yilmaz’s season in numbers
The Turkish left-back didn’t enjoy a good start to life in Glasgow, it's safe to say. During his maiden season, he played only 15 times due to suffering a variety of injury issues.
Last season saw the 23-year-old finally emerge as a first-team player for Clement as he preferred him to Borna Barisic on the left side of the defence.
Indeed, Yilmaz made more than double the appearances he did a year before, scoring twice in the process. if it wasn’t for an injury suffered while on international duty in March, he would likely have played more during the title run-in.
Yilmaz showcased his attacking talents last season. Not only did he create six big chances in the Premiership, but the defender also averaged 1.5 key passes per game, succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game – a success rate of 67% – and averaged 0.8 shots per match.
He should be the starting left-back for Clement during the 2024/25 campaign. The trust placed in him by the manager should see the Turk gain confidence as the season progresses, while building up a consistency level which should see his performances improve.
Ridvan Yilmaz’s market value at Rangers
The defender – who was hailed as being “high quality” by Ross Wilson upon his signing in 2022 – joined the club for a fee in the region of £5m with the hope that the club could make a serious profit on the youngster in the future,
At the time of writing, his current valuation stands at €4.8m (£4.1m), which is far more than that of Propper's £1.5m fee.
Yilmaz is seven years younger than the Dutch defender, which means his valuation should be rising fairly rapidly over the next few years as he continues to develop and get better as a player.
While Giovanni van Bronckhorst was only at the club for a year, it looks like he has struck gold on Yilmaz, who finally appears to be settling in at Ibrox, more than two years on from first arriving.
Some players take longer to adjust to life in Scotland than others. The Turk is clearly one who thrives on confidence and consistency, two traits which have alluded him so far.
Propper could be an excellent addition to the squad for Clement as he seeks to replace Goldson, but the upcoming season could be the most important in Yilmaz’s young career for sure.
If he shines, then big clubs will likely be circling around the player with regard to making a potential move next summer.
But if he struggles, then he could slip into anonymity like so many others who came and failed at Ibrox over the years.
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