Immediate return for Rangers' Connor Goldson floated by Michael Beale as new Ibrox manager calls Malik Tillman 'Ballack-like' and Glen Kamara 'too good' for reported suitors after friendly win

Rangers manager Michael Beale revealed Connor Goldson is so far ahead of schedule following his two-month thigh strain absence the centre-back could make his squad for the cinch Premiership resumption that brings Hibs to Ibrox on Thursday.

Rangers manager Michael Beale shouts instructions that his players seemed to head as they produced a vibrant display for a 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen in the new man's first outing since his Ibrox return.(Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Goldson was expected to be sidelined until the new year after hirpling off just before the interval, and with the scoreline 1-1, on the night of the club’s 7-1 Champions League mauling by Liverpool in mid-October. However, speaking after his side’s impressive 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen, Beale suggested the 29-year-old could have involvement in Thursday’s hosting of Hibs as the cinch Premiership resumes following the World Cup break. And fellow centre-back Ben Davies, who missed deposed manager Gioanni van Bronckhorst’s final outing before the shutdown, could also be available.

“The plan is that Ben and Connor will return to training in the next 24 to 48 hours, which will be hugely important to the group. Connor is ahead of schedule,” said Beale of a player with whom he has a “fantastic relationship” from his stint as coaching fulcrum in the Steven Gerrard era. “Connor just wants to get out there and play. There were times previously when I was here that he played when other players might not play. He's never got praise for that, he doesn't want praise, it's just the sort of boy he is. He's ahead of schedule. What I won't do is rush him because I want him to be fit for 90 or 100 per cent of the games that he can be fit for between now and the end of the season. It was his first longer-term injury for three or four years but we are definitely a stronger squad, team and dressing-room for Connor's presence so if he is available great. Likewise, with Ben but we certainly won't rush them.”

Beale took care not to read too much into a vibrant display against their Germans, stressing that Thursday would be a “completely different game”. But he couldn’t help but purr over the contribution of two-goal Malik Tilllman, paying the on-loan Bayern Munich attacker the ultimate compliment. “Today, playing against a German team, was important for him and the two finishes were fantastic,” said Beale. “I don't want to go too far, but it was like a young Michael Ballack used to play, arriving from deep [for the first] and the header off the set play.”

The Rangers manager was equally enthused by the performance of Glen Kamara, restored and commanding in one of the midfield sitter roles after losing his way under the previous management. Linked with Nantes in recent days, Beale suggested this would be a move unbefitting, as he devotes his energies to reinvigorating the Finnish international at Ibrox. "If the real Glen Kamara plays football, there will always be teams who want him,” said the Ibrox manager. “I watched back the game with Leipzig the other day and he gets a half-assist for the first goal in that game and scores the second, so I know how good Glen is. We have a fantastic relationship that goes back a long way and I'd always want him to be in a Rangers' team I was coaching or watching. Some of the clubs that are after him in my opinion the best version of Glen is too good to play for them.”