RANGERS boss Michael Beale is poised to clinch a deal to sign former England keeper Jack Butland.
The Englishman will make significant changes to the squad that he inherited from Giovanni van Bronckhorst ahead of his first full campaign in charge next term.
And Butland is now in line to become the first arrival of the summer and claim the number one jersey for the upcoming Premiership title bid and European campaign.
Allan McGregor is set to bring the curtain down on his illustrious Rangers career when his contract ends in the coming weeks and the future remains uncertain for Jon McLaughlin following a mixed term between the sticks as he failed to establish himself as the new first choice keeper.
That role will now be filled by Butland as he closes in on a Bosman switch to Ibrox when his Crystal Palace deal expires this summer.
Butland was linked with Rangers last term before joining Manchester United on loan and he was on the bench for their FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton at the weekend.
The 30-year-old will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season and Ibrox now seems like his next destination as Beale kicks off his summer recruitment drive.
Beale has spoken extensively about the work he is keen to undertake during the close season as he bids to put his stamp on the squad and transform their fortunes in the coming years.
The size of the task has been highlighted in recent weeks as Rangers have been beaten by Celtic and Aberdeen and fallen 13 points adrift in the Premiership standings.
The defeat at Pittodrie was not the preparation that Beale needed for the Old Firm semi-final and he was left frustrated with many aspects of a below par performance on Sunday.
Beale said: "In every game we play we have missed more chances than we have taken. Regardless of how many goals we have scored, we are a team that has been quite wasteful and you would always say that it is better to create chances, that is a good sign.
"But you have to take them. As an away team today, how dominant we were at times, we have to take our chances. In terms of possession and territory. I think Aberdeen defended resolutely, everyone was committed, the pressed quite hard. No more committed than us.
"But they pressed quite hard around the pitch. The fans were up. It was a difficult game to referee second half, there were a hell of a lot of stoppages in the game. Ultimately we got done today. We got done."
