Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has praised Ibrox youngster Glenn Middleton this week, hinting that he’ll be getting much more first team action soon.
The 18-year-old again impressed supporters this pre-season with a dynamic display in the 3-0 friendly victory over Wigan on Sunday afternoon.
His pace, skill and fearlessness is leaving many excited about his potential, believing that he could be a key attacking weapon in the first team this season.
Gerrard appears to agree, waxing lyrical about his abilities in the wake of Sunday’s match and hinting he will be involved heavily in his side over the next 12 months.
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the Gers boss said:
He is a player for the future and I have to manage Glenn really well and put him in at the right time. In terms of potential, he has got it all.
Glenn is staying here. We see him as a very important squad player and definitely being a big part of it. He is a baby, he is very young, so we have to make sure he has got his own individual plans in terms of training.
Where he is strong in his game, in terms of speed, one v ones and his crossing, he needs to take that from good to excellent and he needs to really work on the other side of the game and the side that I keep mentioning running back and positionally and being a team-mate that other players trust.
The comments come ahead of Rangers’ crucial European clash against Croatian side NK Osijek at Ibrox on Thursday, with many fans believing that Middleton has done enough to earn his first competitive start.
He has featured off the bench in all three of this summer’s qualifiers so far.
Is it time to see what he can do in a big, high pressure match?
Do you want to see Glenn Middleton start on Thursday? Let us know in the comments…