Philippe Clement admits Bailey Rice encouraged Rangers to move Kieran Dowell on

“[Rice’s emergence as a first-team option] is the reason that we let Kieran Dowell go on loan, to make space also for Bailey,” Clement explains. “And that’s what we are doing in the club now.

“To see who are the young guys who develop, who are close to competing with the others and [who deserves to be given] chances. And then it’s the test to see if they manage or not.

“It’s never one test, of course. It’s the next six months to build the squad again for next season.”

While Zak Lovelace looks set to secure a return to Millwall – the talented winger has been offered a new deal but seems likely to reject it in favour of a London homecoming – Clement is clearly laying the foundations for Rice to follow in the footsteps of fellow rising stars Jefte, Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala with more minutes likely to come his way over the coming months.

The Belgian believes that Rice, who came close to a first senior goal when his sweeping left-footed strike from the edge of the box was palmed aside by Ross County ‘keeper Jordan Amissah, has come on leaps and bounds since he replaced Mick Beale in late-2023.

Clement highlights Rice’s improvement after Ross County win

“Bailey is taking really good steps forward,” Clement adds. “He’s improving a lot, he was always a good player last year also when I came in. He was a good player on the ball, but he was non-existent for me.

“He was walking around those moments in the youth team. So, he took a lot of steps. You see also physically that he’s developing really well. He’s only 18 but, like I said last week, if [the young players] show things in the training, I will put them in.