Glasgow Rangers supporters had the opportunity to watch a number of the club’s new signings in action at Ibrox for the first time on Saturday.
Did Rangers beat Hamburg in pre-season?
The Light Blues beat Hamburg 2-1 in a pre-season friendly, thanks to goals from Fashion Sakala and James Tavernier, and Michael Beale handed minutes to Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, and Cyriel Dessers.
Whilst fans may be excited to watch the fresh additions in the flesh, these matches also provide an opportunity for academy players to push for a first-team spot.
After the win on Saturday, the Gers head coach picked out left-back "big Johnly Yfeko" for praise after the 20-year-old gem enjoyed a solid run out against the German outfit, as the 42-year-old tactician dubbed him the "surprise" of pre-season so far.
His emergence this summer could allow the English manager to brutally ditch Borna Barisic from the squad, as unleashing the exciting youngster would provide him with cover in that position.
How good is Johnly Yfeko?
He is yet to make his senior bow for the Scottish giants in a competitive match and this makes it difficult to accurately assess where the talented gem is at in his development.
However, the former Leicester City prospect has clearly done enough, in training and in the academy last season, to convince Beale that he deserves to be part of the first team during pre-season.
So far, the 6 foot 3 titan, who was named on the bench for three league games by Giovanni van Bronckhorst last term, has grasped his opportunity with both hands.
The B Team star has featured against Newcastle and Hamburg this month and showcased his versatility by coming on as a centre-back in place of Leon Balogun during the clash at Ibrox.
Yfeko, who played 14 Lowland League matches during the 2022/23 campaign, has predominantly been deployed as a left-back throughout his youth career, though, and his ability to play in that position could allow the Gers to part ways with Barisic, who has been linked with a move away from Ibrox.
The Scottish Sun recently reported that Premier League side Nottingham Forest, whose sporting director is ex-Gers chief Ross Wilson, are interested in a deal to sign the Croatian international this summer.
Former Celtic midfielder Kris Commons described the Light Blues defender as the 'weak link' in defence for Beale's team as he 'nods off' when defending at the back post and suggested that the Hoops could target him as a result of his lapses in concentration.
This suggests that the veteran battler is a liability for the Scottish giants due to his lack of awareness when dealing with crosses over to his side of the box.
His contract at Ibrox is due to expire next year and now could be the perfect time to cash in on the 30-year-old defender, as this could be their last chance to rake in a transfer fee for his services instead of losing him for nothing next year.
Whilst there is no guarantee that Yfeko will be able to successfully make the transition to playing regular first-team football, the 20-year-old dynamo's impressive pre-season performances, as per the manager's assessment, and big frame at 6 foot 3 indicates that the potential is there for him to be an option next season.
Therefore, Beale could brutally ditch Barisic by unleashing the colossal brute over the coming months. He could use the season's opening games to see how he fares in the Scottish Premiership before making a final decision.
