Rangers are laying the groundwork for rebirth under Derek McInnes with 'Scottish core' plan

Rangers go into next season with high expectations after appointing Derek McInnes to replace Danny Rohl.

The Gers have wasted no time in putting plans in place for the 2026-27 campaign as they faced uncertainty around the German manager's future, with most fans feeling they've made an upgrade in the dugout.

Hearts almost made history under the Scottish manager, only losing the William Hill Premiership title to Celtic on the final day of the season, and the Govan side's supporters have every reason to believe they will now be the prime challengers for the league title.

Andrew Cavenagh hasn't been shy about investing at Ibrox and recently admitted to implementing a Scottish bias in Rangers' recruitment strategy, something McInnes certainly aligns with.

Apart from the former Kilmarnock and Aberdeen boss' vast experience of the top flight in Scotland, he prides himself on building his team around local talent.

Lawrence Shankland is one such example, as McInnes managed to convince him to stay at Hearts last summer, but now both of them are in G51.

When McInnes first joined Hearts, he reiterated the importance of having a Scottish core at Tynecastle Park, something Gers fans have been crying out for at Ibrox.

With Cavenagh willing and looking to sign players who understand the country's footballing culture, the Light Blues can continue their recruitment plans despite the managerial change.

The former Hearts boss will bring in-depth knowledge of the players in the William Hill Premiership to the Govan side, which will surely help them identify more targets.

Another thing the Scottish manager emphasises is relying on the club's academy, which will be music to the ears of players like Findlay Curtis and Bailey Rice in G51.

Speaking just after taking over Hearts, McInnes said, "There's a good environment here and it helps that we have a Scottish core, because I always think Hearts should have that. They drive the standards and that’s the way it should be going forward.

"We're a Scottish club. We have got to make sure there's a core of Scottish players, ideally full of our academy players, where you get that maximum return in terms of value and maximum return in terms of performance."

Sources told Football Insider on 19 June that Rangers accept that a deal for Nathan Patterson may be difficult, with Everton hoping to get a decent fee for him.

The former Gers right-back could have been the perfect replacement for James Tavernier at Ibrox, but they may have to continue looking for options to replace their captain.

Dujon Sterling is the only option in the position at McInnes' disposal right now, and the Glaswegian outfit may need multiple additions due to the English defender's persistent fitness issues.