Neil Lennon could launch the career of Rangers’ next wonderkid as Celtic icon makes shock move

When one of Rangers’ brightest young talents left Ibrox on loan during the January transfer window, the last thing he would have expected is to see Celtic legend Neil Lennon walk through the door.

 

While Rangers opted to keep Bailey Rice, Findlay Curtis and Paul Nsio in and around the first team – interim boss Barry Ferguson indicates that some first-team minutes may be up for grabs between now and the end of the season – those not quite as far along in their development headed out on loan in search of valuable minutes in the lower leagues.

Goalkeeper Lewis Budinauckas made the short trip across Glasgow to Partick Thistle.

 

Jay Hogarth joined Dunfermline Athletic on an emergency seven-day loan due to an injury to their number one, though he has now returned to Rangers.

 

Archie Stevens, however, is scheduled to stay at East End Park until the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign. Hogarth’s fellow Rangers youngster made the trip to Dunfermline too, albeit on a longer, five-month arrangement.

Rangers starlet Archie Stevens will work with Neil Lennon at Dunfermline Athletic

A graduate of AFC Wimbledon’s academy, Stevens featured for England at Under-17 and Under-18 level. Highly regarded on both sides of the border, one of Rangers’ rising stars is reportedly on the radar of Leeds United, Brighton, Wolves, Fulham and Nottingham Forest, to name but a few. There have even been suggestions of interest from Manchester United.

Though, with no goals and no assists in his first seven Scottish Championship games for Dunfermline, this has not been the flying start he would have been hoping for. With his contract expiring and no terms yet agreed, Archie Stevens’ Rangers future could not be more uncertain heading into the summer window.

 

But, with Dunfermline securing a pretty considerable coup by luring Neil Lennon back into management in Scotland’s second tier, Rangers now find themselves in a slightly strange situation of needing a favour from an auld enemy as Stevens looks to belatedly showcase the promise which allegedly caught the eye of Man United, Brighton and Champions League-bound Forest.