Rangers have made seven summer signings under Steven Gerrard.
Former Rangers star Bob Malcolm has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he believes new centre-backs Nikola Katic and Connor Goldson have what it takes to outshine Bruno Alves.
Goldson and Katic were brought in for a combined fee believed to be around £5million, and are just two of seven signings made by Steven Gerrard this summer in the Liverpool legend’s bid to catch Celtic.
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Sky Sports claim 36-year-old Alves could be set to leave the club sooner rather than later, after the Euro 2016 winner underwent a medical with newly-promoted Serie A side Parma.
Malcom, who played for Rangers for nine years between 1997 and 2006, believes Katic and Goldson will be in the same position as Alves when it comes to starting off at Rangers – but are confident they can outdo the Euro 2016 winner.
“It is going to be the same for Connor and Nikola as it was for Bruno,” Malcolm said. “They are playing in a position where there is no mercy if you make a mistake.
“But they are young and hungry and the fact that a few clubs were keen to sign Connor is a good sign for me. Hopefully they can work hard and form a good partnership at the back and do well.”
Goldson joined from Brighton, believed to be for a fee of £3.5million, and some rumours have suggested that he could become the club’s new captain despite only just putting pen to paper with Gerrard’s side.
Young defender Katic joins from Croatian side Slaven Belupo, and though he is largely unproven, his undoubted talent could see him emulate the kind of signing that Celtic made in Jozo Simunovic.
Alves is expected to leave the club after managing just 25 appearances. He is one of the club’s biggest earners, and shovelling him off the wage bill will give Gerrard manoeuvrability in the transfer market.
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