When Rangers send out young players to get game time at senior level it invariably goes one of two ways; they either prove themselves good enough for first-team football and return to the club – Allan McGregor and Charlie Adam – or are moved on because they have failed to make an impact – Dapo Mebude being the most recent example of many.
The current crop face a similar situation with James Maxwell, Lewis Mayo, Kai Kennedy, Glenn Middleton and Josh McPake the pick of the bunch fighting for the Rangers future.
For Scotland Under-21 international McPake looks increasingly likely that he won’t be adding to his one solitary appearance for the Light Blues having failed to produce any real consistency in terms of numbers at any of his loan clubs both north and south of the border but, at least, has done enough to attract further interest and earn himself a potential permanent move.
A report in Football Insider has revealed that he could be heading to Tranmere Rovers for the second half of the season where he will look to make more of an impact than he has had at Morecambe:
“This site revealed last week that the Glasgow giants are planning to recall the forward, 20, from his temporary spell at Morecambe and loan him out to another club for the second half of the season.
“A Rangers source has told Football Insider that discussions with Tranmere over a McPake loan deal are at an advanced stage and an agreement is close.”
McPake has loads of potential, however, he is now 20-years old and really should be in and around the senior squad at Auchenhowie, not necessarily starting every week, but at least being capable of providing cover and helping the squad to rotate – it was in 2019 when he made his debut but he just hasn’t kicked on.
McPake isn’t the first and won’t be the last to struggle to make the transition from talented youngster to becoming a regular for Rangers, let’s hope Tony Weston, Juan Alegria and Charlie McCann have better luck.