Report: Rangers to let David Bates leave after falling down pecking order

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David Bates impressed when given a chance by Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha last season.

Even when results took a turn for the worse at Rangers last season, under-fire coach Pedro Caixinha still had the support of many fans due to his willingness to give the club’s youth a chance.

The likes of Myles Beerman and Aiden Wilson made their first-team bows under Caixinha last season but it was arguably talented centre-half David Bates who stood out the most.

Rangers signed the towering defender in January from Raith Rovers after he spent the first half of the campaign with the club’s Under-20s side, earning rave reviews in the process. And, by the end of 2016/17, Bates had played seven times in the Scottish Premiership.

Caixinha clearly rates the 20-year-old highly, throwing him into high-pressure encounters against the likes of Aberdeen and Celtic. Though, with Rangers bringing in both talent and experience at centre-half with Portuguese pair Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso (below) arriving at Ibrox, Bates has found first-team chances harder to come by this season.

Consequently, the Daily Record reports that Bates will be allowed to leave on loan before the transfer deadline to get more regular minutes under his belt.

Though this may seem like a step backwards for the youngster given that he looked to have secured a place in Caixinha’s immediate plans, a short-term exit could be the making of the Kirkcaldy-born stopper.

Alves and Cardoso are likely to be Rangers’ first-choice pairing this season with Danny Wilson in reserve but, if Bates impresses and hones his abilities away from Ibrox, he could return in 12 months’ time with a real chance of forcing his way into the starting XI on a more regular basis.