Rangers have submitted their 25-man UEFA Champions League squad for the second qualifying round — and it’s a list that offers more than a few talking points, especially around homegrown rules, player exits, and fitness concerns.
Goalkeepers:
Jack Butland, Liam Kelly, Kieran Wright
Defenders:
John Souttar, James Tavernier, Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Jefte, Robbie Fraser, Leon King,
Midfielders:
Nico Raskin, Thelo Aasgaard, Mohamed Diomande, Djiedi Gassama, Joe Rothwell, Nedim Bajrami, Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, Oscar Cortes, Kieran Dowell
Forwards:
Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, Hamza Igamane, Josh Gentles
Homegrown Rules: How Rangers Met UEFA’s Requirements
UEFA’s List A squad rules demand eight homegrown players, split into:
- At least four club-trained: developed at Rangers for 3 seasons between ages 15–21
- Up to four association-trained: trained at another Scottish club under the same age criteria
Rangers have comfortably met this quota — even overachieving on the club-trained front:
Club-Trained Players (5): Leon King, Kieran Wright, Liam Kelly, Robbie Fraser, Josh Gentles
Association-Trained Players (3): John Souttar, Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron
That gives Rangers eight homegrown players in total, allowing them to name the full 25-man squad — a good sign of the club’s ongoing youth development and smart domestic recruitment.
Which Rangers Players Were Left Out The Champions League second round qualifier — And Why
Several notable absentees didn’t make the cut, and their omission hints at likely exits or future loan moves:
Ridvan Yilmaz: The Turkish international looks set to return to Turkey, with multiple clubs reportedly interested. His exclusion suggests a transfer is close or at least the focus the club has with Yilmaz.
Robin Propper: Rangers have accepted a bid from FC Twente, but the deal is being held up over personal terms. Propper is reportedly seeking compensation for the wage difference to push the move over the line.
Ross McCausland: The winger has been the subject of transfer speculation, and missing from this squad only intensifies rumours of a departure. Things have just not progressed the way everyone would have hoped for McCausland.
Clinton Nsiala: The promising young centre-back has several loan offers on the table and the manager has already spoken about his game time likely to be limited at Rangers and him needing to play games. His absence indicates a temporary move could be finalised soon.
Ben Davies & Jose Cifuentes: Both players are now firmly on the fringes under Russell Martin. Their omissions may not surprise fans, but it confirms how far they’ve slipped from first-team consideration.
Rabbi Matondo: Injured until at least end of August after surgery on an injury.
Who Made the Cut For The Champions League second round qualifier — New Boys Included
There was also room for new signings to make their European debut — including some interesting decisions from Russell Martin: Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Max Aarons, Lyall Cameron, Joe Rothwell and Thelo Aasgaard are all in.
Thelo Aasgaard: Included Despite Injury Concerns
One of the more intriguing selections is Thelo Aasgaard. Despite picking up a knock during a closed-door friendly earlier this week, Rangers have included him — a sign they expect him to feature in at least one leg of this tie.
Aasgaard is reportedly awaiting a scan after some swelling settles, but the early optimism from Ibrox suggests the injury isn’t serious.
What This Means Going Forward
This squad announcement confirms two things:
- The club is managing homegrown requirements well, without sacrificing squad quality.
- A number of exits are imminent, helping trim the wage bill and shape the final squad for the season ahead.
The coming days should clarify the futures of Yilmaz, Propper, McCausland and others — but for now, Rangers fans can focus on a Champions League push with a balanced squad and some exciting new names ready to make their mark.
Squad Depth: Rangers’ 25-Man UEFA Squad in a 4-3-3 Shape
🧤 Goalkeepers
- Jack Butland – First choice
- Liam Kelly – Reliable back-up, club-trained
- Kieran Wright – Emergency cover, also homegrown
✅ Given the players available, seems the clear choices — solid experience and homegrown depth.
🛡️ Right-Back
- James Tavernier – Captain and nailed-on starter
- Max Aarons – New signing, can challenge or cover both flanks
👀 We really want to see Aarons’ playing in his favoured position, but it seems likely he will feature at Left Back during these two legs.
🧱 Left Centre-Backs
- John Souttar – Likely to start
- Leon King – Depth option, club-trained
🧱 Right Centre-Backs
- Nasser Djiga – Likely to start, strong, athletic, potential starter
- Emmanuel Fernandez – Left-sided, raw but promising
⚠️ We are missing at least one centre-back in our opinion. Leon King is not strong enough to provide enough competition for this position. If there are any injuries in the players likely to start, we would likely see Tavernier moving into one of these positions. Conor Coady would be a good solution to this.
🛡️ Left-Back
- Jefte – Unlikely to be first-choice going into the season
- Robbie Fraser – Club-trained back-up
⚠️ Ridvan Yilmaz omitted amid transfer speculation — While some may think that Jefte is now undisputed #1. We suspect that Max Aarons will be preferred in this position while the club continues to explore further reinforcements in this area.
⚙️ Right Central Midfield
- Nico Raskin – Press-resistant, fits Russell Martin’s style
- Connor Barron – Box-to-box option, energetic and technical
- Kieran Dowell – Not a favourite with the fans, but has been getting game time under the manager.
⚙️ Central Midfield
- Joe Rothwell – Versatile, experienced, carries the ball well
- Lyall Cameron – Association-trained depth
- Bailey Rice – B-List player, providing some addition cover
⚙️ Left Central Midfield
- Mohamed Diomande – Likely to anchor midfield
- Thelo Aasgaard – Creative option, left-footed balance, may be asked to play on left wing if fit
✅ Midfield looks well stocked — mix of physicality, creativity and depth. With enough flexibility in the available options allowing for players to move into different roles within the structure providing the depth we need in the engine room.
🎯 Right Winger / Wide Forwards
- Oscar Cortes – Tricky, right-sided natural
🎯 Left Winger / Wide Forwards
- Djeidi Gassama – Direct, pacy, can play both flanks, maybe needed on the right
- Nedim Bajrami – Can drift wide or play centrally
- Findlay Curtis – B-List player, but could be called upon given limited options
🔥 Striker / Centre Forward
- Cyriel Dessers – Experience and work rate, but polarising among fans
- Danilo – Movement, goals, but returning from injury
- Hamza Igamane – Young, physical presence
- Josh Gentles – Raw talent, included as a backup option, could provide an option on the right
❌ The lack of options on the wings have been well documented. While players like Bajrami, Aasgaard or Igamane could be played out on the left wing, the right side will rely on Cortes or Gassama switching over if required. If Rangers were planning on getting another deal over the line ahead of these legs, a right-winger would be very helpful.
Rangers have enough in this squad to safely navigate the second qualifying round, though it will be challenging. The midfield looks strongest on paper, while the wings and central defence will rely heavily on new signings settling in quickly.
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