ALLY McCOIST reckons only James Tavernier and Connor Goldson will know right now if they've reached the end of the road at Rangers.
But the Ibrox hero has warned his former club about letting too much experience walk out the building too soon.
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There's been increasing uncertainty over the future of the veteran duo - with Tavernier in particular strongly linked with a move to join former gaffer Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia.
There's a growing feeling the Gers could move on this summer from the man who has been captain for six years and is now the top scoring defender ever in British football.
Talks are also in the works over a testimonial but McCoist has urged Philippe Clement to sit down as a matter of urgency with the veteran duo to find out if their hearts are still in it.
Gers' first-team stars report back for pre-season training on Monday.
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McCoist told SunSport: "He [Clement] needs to get a look at them in training and have a chat with them, see where they are physically, and mentally as well. See what they want to do.
"It's important you find out how they are as much as anything. But they'll be very hard to replace, they've got a lot of experience."
Rangers' all-time record goalscorer, currently out working at Euro 2024, is delighted Clement and new recruitment chief Nils Koppen are getting the chance to oversee an epic rebuild at Ibrox.
The script has been ripped up this summer with the Gers bringing in younger players Oscar Cortes, Jefte, Clinton Nsiala and Connor Barron, many of them from untapped markets, with a view to bringing in big money down the line.
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Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane should be next, with Bayern Munich Yusuf Kadabayi also waiting in the wings.
It's all aligned with the club's player-trading model - and closer to the way Celtic have successfully operated for years.
Rangers reveal the FIVE stars who are leaving Ibrox as Philippe Clement says goodbye to group with over 700 appearances
McCoist said: "The squad looked tired and in need of freshening up. They got a reaction when the manager came in at the start, they got a brilliant reaction.
"But at a time when they should have kicked on, and the league was right there for them, they just looked tired and jaded.
"I'll be brutally honest, I don't know too much about some of the players. But I'm glad Clement got the opportunity to freshen the squad up.
"Celtic's signing policy has been good. They've brought in younger players, taken a gamble on them and in some cases they've moved them on for good amounts of money.
"And that's where Rangers and Celtic are at this moment in time. Whether we like it or not, Rangers and Celtic are feeder clubs to the bigger leagues now.
"So your recruitment has to be, if not spot on, as good as it can be. And there's no doubt Rangers are trying to capitalise on that."
With Igamane arriving, Sam Lammers returning after his Utrecht loan, a fit again Danilo and Cyriel Dessers in his second year, the Gers will have four strikers on the books as the season begins.
But McCoist, who reckons there's nothing between Celtic and Rangers "which couldn't change this season", has urged his old club to push the boat out for Lawrence Shankland, who will be 29 in August.
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He said: "Cyriel Dessers is much maligned but you can't argue with his goal return.
"Centre forwards need competition so I'm looking forward to him getting put under pressure with Danilo coming back in.
"I watched some of Sam Lammers' goals for Utrecht and they were crackers, but I would be surprised if he came back now.
"And I think not signing Shankland might have cost the league to tell the truth. So I would take Shankland.
"Here's a boy in Scotland who knows how to score against the big teams, against Celtic and Rangers. Shankland knows how to do that."
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*AllyMcCoisthas teamed up withGreggsand Just Eat for theireXpectedGreggs(xGreggs) campaign, which turns England and Scotland’s Expected Goal rates into free Sausage Rolls and Vegan Sausage Rolls for everyone
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