Michael Beale may have revamped his Rangers squad but he still sees Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe having key parts to play this season.
The Gers boss, who has recruited nine new players this summer, welcomed back the duo for the cinch Premiership game against Ross County in Dingwall on Saturday.
Lawrence signed from Derby last summer but the 29-year-old attacker has only recently recovered from a knee injury which has kept him out since the 4-0 win over the Staggies at Ibrox last August.
Striker Roofe, 30, has been impacted by injuries since he signed from Anderlecht in 2020 but is fit again, he has made two substitute appearances this season against Kilmarnock and Morton.
Asked how close he was to a preferred starting side, the Gers boss was unequivocal.
“Tom and Kemar are really in my thoughts for that,” said Beale, who revealed Glen Kamara is the closest of two players who could leave this week with Leeds linked with the midfielder.
“Not having them since I have been here has been a big frustration for me. Those two are in my thoughts as starters, not as back-up players.
“Every team needs three number nines and at the moment we have Cyril Desserts, Danilo and Kemar.
“We have other people who can play there. Abdallah Siam’s strongest position is probably a number nine but he can play both sides. Sam Lammers has played there as well.
“Kemar has shown it in training, but we have to make a call. He will not be able to be involved in three games a week right now so the call is the domestic games at the weekend that he is involved in and we will deal with Europe depending on what competition we are in and we will pick a squad then.
“Tom has obviously been out for 11 months, he has had a couple of behind-closed-doors training games.
“He played in the B team this week and he is ready to be involved. He is not ready to play 90 minutes right now but by the time we come back from the international break, Tom is ready to go as well. What a boost that is going to be to everybody.”
Romania international Ianis Hagi could also be on his way out of the club in the search for more game time.
Beale said: “Glen is the one who is closest. We had an honest conversation when I came back into the club about his future. There has been no fall-out.
“We were expecting Glen to move this summer. It was his wish as well. I wasn’t in the mood to persuade anyone to play for Rangers.
“It has to be the right club and valuation. He has been an excellent signing, but I want different here.
“There has been a lot of hot air around Ianis in the last week or so. It was a logical conversation. He has missed a year of football and we are very loaded in the positions he plays and he wants to know if is a main starter.
“We will see. It’s got to be right for Ianis and I am not dismissing Ianis being an important player either.”
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
Leicester's Fatawu ruled out for rest of season with ACL injury
Leicester City manager Steve Cooper confirmed Abdul Fatawu will miss the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) while playing for Ghana against Angola during the international break.
Fatawu has featured in all 11 of Leicester's Premier League matches so far this season and has registered two assists.
No Leicester player has attempted (61) or completed (29) more dribbles than him, while his 30 crosses is also a team-high in the top-flight this season.
"It's not good, it's a serious injury," said Cooper ahead of their match against Chelsea on Saturday.
"It's a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.
"Albeit, it can be quite common in sport, and in particular football, but it's still a serious injury.
"For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.
"He's obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.
"It's only a pause, and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which, with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case."
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