ROSS McCausland has welcomed the prospect of Rangers signing another winger before the January transfer window closes on Thursday and predicted that having increased competition for a start in the coming months will help to make him a better player.

McCausland has become a first team regular since Philippe Clement replaced Michael Beale as manager at Ibrox back in October and has featured in big Europa League matches against Real Betis, Aris Limassol and Sparta Prague.

The 20-year-old, who made his Northern Ireland debut in November, has been unconcerned with reports that Oscar Cortes, the Colombian internationalist, is set to move to Govan from French club Lens on loan.

He explained how he has enjoyed training and playing alongside Fabio Silva, the £35m Portuguese striker who joined from Wolves this month until the end of the 2023/24 season, and will relish working with anyone who strengthens the Rangers squad. 

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“Football is different all over the world,” he said yesterday as the Rangers Youth Development Company donated another £400,000 to the Rangers Academy to take their total contribution since 2002 to over £11m.

“People have played at different levels. Look at Fabio Silva who has just come in. I have gotten quite close to him in the past few days. We are always doing shooting games, competitions and stuff, in training. To get the benefit of the experiences he has had at Wolves is only going to help me.

Glasgow Times: “The transfer window is not something I focus on. If anyone comes in it is obviously someone I can soak experience off as well. It is competition at the end of the day. If they are doing better than you then you are obviously not going to play. But I think competition brings out the best in you.”

McCausland has become a firm favourite with Rangers fans since being handed his chance by Steven Davis in October when his countryman was in temporary charge and believes he has developed as a footballer as a result of facing top class domestic and European opposition.

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“I would say both mentally and technically I have improved,” he said. “There are different aspects of the game that you learn. The Betis game was probably the biggest eye opener for me in terms of the standard and the level and the pace it is played at.

“For the first Betis goal the guy beats me with a one-two. That is something I can take into games now. It doesn’t happen because I am ready for it. To get these experiences is only going to benefit me.

“Tactically is probably the biggest thing, off the ball and my positioning. There are players on the pitch who have done it for years and can help me, the likes of Tav (James Tavernier) and (John) Lundstram. It is only going to benefit me.”

McCausland added: “You need to fail to succeed almost. After the Betis game Connor told me, ‘It happens, this is stuff you learn’. I kicked myself about it. When I watch it back now I think, ‘What am I doing?’.

“But I notice in games maybe now I don’t get beat by a one-two, I expect it now. When you are playing against players like Isco, who is probably the best player I have played against , it is only going to benefit you. You don’t actually realise how good they are until you are actually playing against them. It has been amazing and I am glad to be getting these experiences.”