With Celtic just one win away from retaining their cinch Premiership crown and the Viaplay Cup already in the bag at Parkhead, Rangers know they face a season without silverware. They went down 1-0 in a close last-four tie at the national stadium thanks to a goal from Jota but Beale has now presided over three Old Firm derby defeats in a row since returning to Ibrox and plans a major overhaul at the club as they try to close the gap on Celtic. He also dropped the biggest hint yet that forwards Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, two stalwarts of Rangers in recent years, are set to leave the club at the end of the season.

"It will be the biggest rebuild this club has seen in a number of years,” said Beale. “You have to be respectful, you come in in November and you know changes will be made, every time you come to a press conference people ask you about it. I've got a group of players that I need to manage and keep moving forward and motivate for the games. It's obvious I'm not going to condemn people and send them away. But it's also obvious that we are getting to the summer and there will be some change. If you haven't heard any news about certain players, it will be amiss to not asking the same questions because if you don't hear anything, then people's contracts are running out and it gives you a good indication that there is change in the air.

"We’ve been here in a final and missed big opportunities on that day. We’ve been here in a semi-final and missed big opportunities to change the direction of the season. It has been in our hands and even against a really strong opponent, as strong a Celtic team as I’ve seen, our Rangers team have performed well today but where it counts in both boxes we’ve fallen short. In the summer, there will be fresh faces, renewed energy and renewed ideas with some of the boys that we’ve got now of course. We have to do better, all of us.

Rangers manager Michael Beale lamented the errors that cost his team against Celtic.

When asked if this was Kent and Morelos’ last games at Hampden, Beale replied: “Possibly, yes.” He was then asked if the player turnover he was looking at is “a dozen or so” and Beale responded: “Something in the words you used because there is a number out of contract. What I said against St Mirren [that all the players will be here next season who played] was about the boys playing who were all in contract. Within the one or two I’ve mentioned are out of contract. Everyone else is in contract so they’re not going anywhere overnight.”

Michael Beale lifts lid on 'biggest Rangers rebuild in many years' and drops huge Kent-Morelos hint after Celtic loss