Rangers are close to securing Jack Butland as Allan McGregor’s replacement after the Crystal Palace goalie ‘played’ his final game for loan club Manchester United as he sat on the bench for the FA Cup final.

Out of contract end of this month, Butland is effectively a free agent now, and while he’s technically still on Palace’s payroll, his Manchester United loan is over, having not played a single minute for the Old Trafford giants. But, by logic, not having conceded a single goal either!

All jokes aside, Rangers fans generally approve of the addition, with his CV certainly looking among the stronger goalkeeping careers in the Premier League, and it’s worth remembering he has nearly 100 appearances at that level so Rangers would be getting a top-quality goalie.

And by all accounts and reports and sources, it could be announced this week as Michael Beale closes in on his man.

A worthy successor to Allan McGregor? Yes, he’s definitely that. His PL career and career in general actually exceeds Greegy’s, so Rangers are definitely getting a player of the highest standard that we possibly could.

There was one quip, that a goalie who can’t supplant David de Gea isn’t good enough for Rangers, given what a mediocre stopper the Spaniard seems to be these days, but jokes aside let’s not kid ourselves that Butland isn’t up to scratch.

We do spare a thought for Robby McCrorie of course, who thought this was his time, but of what we’ve seen of him, he doesn’t absolutely blow us away in the same way a young McGregor did, and while he’s more than carried himself with distinction, Butland is a different league to the Scotland man.

Or his arrival will take our ‘youngster’ to a new level and raise his game?

Certainly can’t hurt him to go from Allan McGregor mentoring him to Jack Butland.

Either way the signing of the former Stoke man looks close, and Rangers might finally have something a bit better than Jon sodding McLaughlin for the Champions League.