A summer of change at Ibrox as Gio gets some cash

While it would be a lie to say we ‘don’t care’ about the cup final, the interest and need to win it just isn’t at the level it was for yesterday.

It was all about the UEL trophy, and the CL spot. Not to mention the big cash going with that.

As it is, we fell short, a penalty short, a thin margin between glory and ‘failure’, and so somehow we have to lift ourselves in one day and win a cup final all over again.

Quite frankly we’ll be shocked if the players have anything left to do it with.

But what really is priority for us now is the summer rebuild, because with a decent £25M in the kitty, Gio has some cash to spend on new players.

The UEL campaign netted about those numbers, and the sales of Patterson and Gerrard sealed up most of the deficit, so we do have a bit to play with.

It’s not (yet) the £40M base for getting to the CL group stage, but it’s enough to do something with.

The question of departures looms large – we’d be absolutely shocked if Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are here next season, but no money is going to come in for any of them, while the usual Morelos, Kamara, Aribo, and Kent mob are vulnerable to sales, with now, the new entrant of the in-demand Calvin Bassey.

But we do have a kitty. We don’t know how much of the £25M Gio will have, and if we do get UCL then that rises a tonne, but he has some cash for sure without selling anyone.

This summer will require surgery. There are injury-prone players who are busted flushes, and we include Filip Helander there with a heavy heart, alongside Leon Balogun who’s out of contract anyway, and other players like Diallo and Ramsey return to their parent clubs.

There will be changes this summer, and there was always going to be, but having lost the final, we have to look at those who will now take their leave with more focus than before.

This squad has done the club very proud indeed, the UEL final was historic. But we will need new blood and a bit of guard changing under Gio, who will absolutely want to sign his own players.

There are only 13 days till the summer window opens, and we expect movement at Ibrox.