FINE wine, as any sommelier worth their sauvignon blanc will tell you, improves with age.

But Brian Laudrup, the Ibrox great who yesterday launched the Laudrup Rose he has developed in conjunction with the family of former Rangers owner Sir David Murray and the vineyard they run in France, knows the same is true of both football teams and players.

The Dane is confident the Scottish champions can perform even better next season than they did in the 2020/21 campaign despite the distinct possibility that key players will be sold this summer as the Glasgow giants pursue self-sustainability. 

The likes of Joe Aribo, Borna Barisic, Connor Goldson, Glen Kamara, Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier could all be the subject of substantial bids in the coming weeks as a result of their impressive displays at home and abroad in the past 10 months.

Losing a couple of members of his all-conquering Premiership-winning team will complicate Steven Gerrard’s efforts to reach the Champions League group stages, retain the league and land more silverware in the new term.

Laudrup, who helped Rangers win three consecutive league trophies and complete Nine-in-A-Row during his time in Govan in the 1990s, is adamant the Liverpool and England great will be able to do so.  

“Hopefully they can take it on from here,” he said. “Next season in the Champions League is going to be tough. But Steven Gerrard has been there for a number of years now. Hopefully he will stay for another number of years and he can really create something there.

“In terms of the quality of the team, it is one of the best I have seen for many, many years. They have a very young manager and management team and have the right people behind them. It is very difficult to be pessimistic. I am very optimistic. I will be following all the games next season that’s for sure.

“I think they can become better next season if they can keep hold of this group and make a few additions as well. They could impress in the Champions League. It is all about winning the league. But I think we are looking at a few years now where Rangers can really compete at the highest level.”

Qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in 11 years in August will be a great way for Rangers to get next season up and running and Laudrup remains, despite persistent predictions of impending departures, confident they can. 

“It is fair to say that these games are among the most difficult games that Rangers will ever experience in a season,” he said. “Having said that, you have a team that has played together for a number of years. I haven’t seen any Rangers players being sold yet and I hope that won’t be the case.

“If they can keep this team intact I think they will be very well prepared for those games. It is all down to what kind of teams they are up against. But having seen what they did in Europe last season, how they played against Galatasaray early on and beat a number of famous teams, I think this Rangers side will be ready.”

Laudrup added: “Maintaining the core will be one of the better signings so to speak. Some clubs will have been looking at Rangers and saying: ‘They have done extremely well in Scotland and in Europe’.

“They will have been looking at Morelos, Aribo, Kent, all these wonderful players. If they keep the core intact they have the experience there. If they can add a few top class players to that who knows what they can achieve next season.”

The most impressive aspect of Rangers’ momentous Scottish title win for Laudrup, who is still revered by supporters who can remember his sublime skills, was the attractive football that Tavernier and his team mates played.

He knows that his fellow winger Kent is integral to how the Ibrox club play and believes holding onto the Englishman, who was linked with a move to Leeds United in the Premier League last season, is vital to their prospects of future success. 

“I would have loved to have played in this team,” he said. “This is a young and settled team and has a young manager who knows very much how he wants to play. Technically, they are very good. They are inventive. That is what you see in the Premier League and in Spain.”

Asked which member of Gerrard’s squad is indispensable, Laudrup said: “I could mention a few, but if there is one player where I would say ‘keep him at all costs’ it would be Ryan Kent. 

“Leeds have been after him for a year or two now. He is the kind of player you pay to watch. He’s the kind who can turn a dull game into a spectacular one. He opens up defences. You need players like that. Not only in Scotland but in Europe as well. 

“He’s still got potential. In a year or two I think we will become even better. For me, he is an outstanding prospect.”

Laudrup struggled when he joined Bayern Munich from Bayer Uerdingen for a Bundesliga record fee in 1990 and can understand why it has taken Kent, a £7m acquisition from Liverpool in 2019, initially unable to justify his transfer fee.  But he anticipates more is to come from the Englishman now that he is hit peak form.

“Kent is a wee bit older now,” he said. “In a year or two I think he’ll find stability in his game. When you are a player who always has to do the exceptional, who has to create and take players on, there are games when you not capable of that. 

“People expect more of Ryan Kent than perhaps some other players at Rangers. That’s a huge thing when you are young, but when you get older you are better at showing the stability through experience. 

“I’m sure he will thrive at Rangers next season. Hopefully not only in Scotland but also on the big stage of the Champions League.”

 

Brian Laudrup was speaking at the launch of his new Laudrup Rose Wine - priced £13.95 a bottle - which is on sale now at www.laudrup11.com