Michael Beale vows major reshuffle at Rangers with three or four big arrivals as he spells out summer plans

Rangers manager Michael Beale is planning to sign three or four “massive impact” players during the summer as he set out his stall ahead of a squad revamp at the end of the season.

Beale suffered his first defeat as Rangers boss in the 2-1 defeat by Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final at Hampden Park on Sunday. Despite it being the only blemish on his 15-match tenure so far since taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, he has come under fire from some sections of the Rangers fanbase, with defending champions Celtic leading the cinch Premiership by nine points with 12 games to play.

Rangers have seven first-team players out of contract, including Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Allan McGregor, Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield and Steven Davis, while Beale let loanee James Sands return to New York early after his spell at the club. And speaking in his broadcast press conference ahead of Saturday’s league match against Kilmarnock, the 42-year-old made it clear that big changes are coming in the summer.

“It is clear that the football we are playing at the moment and the way I would like us to play is probably not aligned so we have to keep moving forward,” said Beale. “The summer window is very important to the football club. I think we need to recruit three or four who are going to make a massive impact to the team.

Rangers manager Michael Beale has come under fire from some sections of the fanbase after losing to Celtic on Sunday in the Viaplay Cup final.

“We need to obviously sort out the futures of the ones who are here and maybe we have to change one or two who are in contract as well. There is no exact number. I need to make a strong team. At the moment we have a recipe to a certain level but we fell short at the weekend. I am definitely clear on the direction we need to go.

“We need to make a big shift in the energy we have on the pitch on matchday. That is recruiting. It might be developing, promoting from within as well. The team needs to show more and that starts with me. I have to do better because it is clear that although we had done well in the previous 14 games, the first half was enough for me to know we have to do a hell of a lot of work.

“I don’t want wins against other opposition, who are in different places in the league, to overshadow what we have to do – win, not compete, and compete better in Europe. It is important we start the rebuild as soon as possible. We have started behind the scenes but come the summer it will be an interesting moment in terms of changing the make-up of the group. We need to reduce the number of the squad. I said before that 25 per cent of the squad would turn over and I am sticking by that. Players have been identified, it is about getting that work done swiftly.”

The former QPR boss also revealed that centre-half John Souttar is returning to the squad, while fellow long-term injured defender Ridvan Yilmaz will play a reserve game before he is back.