Rangers fans are once again in the familiar territory of assessing returning players following loan spells. There has been a quiet influx of names back at Auchenhowie this summer and it is creating some early dilemmas for Russell Martin and his coaching staff. Some players may feature in pre-season, others may not, but decisions will need to be made soon. The club continues to evaluate options and it is not yet confirmed who will stay or go again. As always, quotes will be trotted out about fresh starts and fighting for places.

Among the most notable returnees is Ben Davies, who impressed at Birmingham City with a solid loan spell that helped steady their defence. His return to Ibrox brings quality and composure, but the question now is whether Russell Martin sees him as part of his long-term plans. Jose Cifuentes also returns after a stint with Aris Thessaloniki in Greece, though his time there did little to dispel concerns about his fit at Rangers. There are strong doubts about his role going forward, and his future is very much in limbo.

There are others as well. Rabbi Matondo spent time at Hannover and may come back with renewed hunger, but his inconsistency remains a familiar concern. Kieran Dowell returns after a relatively quiet loan and is still waiting to show the impact expected of him when he first arrived. Ben Williamson and Alex Lowry are also back from lower league spells and face uphill battles to break into a squad that is undergoing significant changes.

Truthfully, only a handful of these players may be retained. Rangers are clearly rebuilding and players who failed to make the grade first time around are unlikely to feature prominently now. While Davies may offer something in defence, others like Cifuentes and Matondo could be offloaded once again.

For more on loan returns and the latest squad updates, BBC Sport is tracking Rangers’ summer business. As pre-season ramps up, fans will soon see who survives and who is shown the door.