Glasgow Rangers finished another Premiership campaign without winning the title with the Ibrox side having failed to build upon their stunning title success from the 2020/21 season.
Three years in a row, Celtic have been top dogs in Scotland and for a fanbase which is desperate for success, this is nowhere near good enough from the players. Something has got to give this summer.
While Philippe Clement may not know for certain exactly how much he will have to spend, one thing remains clear; he will have to sell a few first-team players.
Six players are out of contract in a few weeks, which will give him some leeway in the transfer market, meaning the likes of John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Borna Barisic should all be gone when the window opens next month.
Player
Year joined
Club signed from
Borna Barisic
2018
Nk Osijek
Ryan Jack
2017
Aberdeen
Leon Balogun
2023 (second spell)
QPR
Kemar Roofe
2020
Anderlecht
John Lundstram
2021
Sheffield United
Jon McLaughlin
2020
Sunderland
Via Transfermarkt
Sentiment shouldn’t come into the equation, as all three of these men have failed to sparkle throughout 2023/24, with Barisic being the one who has disappointed the most.
Borna Barisic’s form this season
The Croatian entered into the final year of his deal knowing that a solid season would perhaps give him a chance of extending his stay at the Light Blues for another year or two.
Unfortunately, he has failed to impress under either Michael Beale or Clement throughout the season.
The left-back may have started the season as first choice, but the Belgian opted to unleash Ridvan Yilmaz in the starting XI more often from October onwards. If the Turkish gem was able to stay fit, Barisic’s appearances would have been severely limited over the previous few months.
Indeed, the 31-year-old was used as his replacement from the international break in March until he recovered, but his form has been poor.
Renowned for his attacking abilities down the left flank – registering 57 goal contributions ahead of the current season – Barisic ranked only 14th for goals and assists (three) in the top flight when compared to his teammates this season.
The defender also ranked in a lowly 20th position for successful dribbles per game (0.4) and 19th for big chances created (one), certainly suggesting how lacklustre he was at getting forward when given an opportunity in the first team.
Barisic is earning £21k-per-week and there is no doubt allowing him to leave this summer could see Clement use this money a lot more wisely.
If Yilmaz can stay fit for the 2024/25 season, he will surely be the first-choice left-back in the team. Could a player who started his first game for the Gers during the 3-3 draw against Hearts on the weekend give Clement the licence to ditch Barisic for good?
Robbie Fraser is clearly an exciting talent.
Robbie Fraser's rise to the first team
Despite being captain of the B team, Fraser has been forced to watch the likes of Ross McCausland, Zak Lovelace and even Johnly Yfeko – who plays in the same position – all make their senior debuts before him.
It is a testament to his maturity and confidence that the youngster has bided his time and trusted his own ability to eventually catch Clement’s eye, coming on as a substitute during the 5-2 win over Dundee in the penultimate Premiership game of the season last week.
The Scot was included in the matchday squad on a couple of occasions last season, most notably for the final Champions League match against Ajax and this experience has clearly stood him in good stead.
His performances for the B team last season were excellent. Not only did he score twice – which included a “superb” free kick against East Kilbride, according to journalist Jordan Campbell – but also seven assists, demonstrating how effective he was at bursting forward down the flank.
With nothing to play for against the Jambos, Clement made sure Yilmaz was well-rested ahead of the Scottish Cup final on Saturday and unleashed Fraser at left-back for his first-ever Rangers start.
He didn’t disappoint, with his display offering a glimpse into the future.
Robbie Fraser’s game in numbers vs Hearts
The youngster played the opening 60 minutes before being replaced by Yilmaz, yet his performance was a sign of things to come.
Defensively, Fraser stood his ground well, winning six of his eight ground duels while also making five tackles, committing just one foul, and being dribbled past on only one occasion.
He showed plenty of willingness to get on the ball, taking 56 touches during his time on the pitch, while even making three key passes and delivering two accurate crosses from four attempts.
The 21-year-old was given a match rating of 6/10 for his performance by Football Insider. Given that this was his first-ever senior start, Fraser handled himself like a veteran and there is no doubt he should be in Clement’s plans for next season.
What the future holds for Robbie Fraser
The youngster does find himself out of contract at the end of this month, but surely his impact against Hearts should encourage Clement to put a new deal on the table.
He is not the finished article, but having a homegrown player like Fraser in the first-team squad could be beneficial for a number of seasons.
European squads require several homegrown players to fill the quota, which means the inclusion of Fraser would add an extra body to this and save Clement having to buy another Scot.
Plus, it could allow the Belgian to develop the Scotland U21 international similarly to what Steven Gerrard did with Nathan Patterson.
The current Everton defender was sold by the Light Blues for a then club record fee of £16m, proving that promoting them from the academy and giving them chances in the first team could pay dividends a few years down the line.
Fraser might not reach this level, but the manager won't know unless he offers him the chance to make an impact and try to claim a regular berth in the starting XI.
Rangers have produced incredible full-backs such as Alan Hutton and Patterson over the years. Might Fraser be the next one on the production line?