Ashton Scally’s return from injury has opened the door for Derek McInnes to give the Rangers youngster some first-team minutes in the coming months.

The Gers boss may look to integrate the highly-rated 16-year-old left-back into senior training and potentially hand him first-team minutes.

The Scotland youth international featured in Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat to Peterhead in the KDM Evolution Trophy, marking his first appearance of the season after an extended spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Rangers may have made promises to Ashton Scally

Earlier this year, Rangers pulled off a significant coup by tying the academy graduate to his first professional contract until 2029, despite strong interest from Premier League sides including Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. This agreement may have included certain promises being made to the left-back about minutes for the senior side.

Richard Keys claims Charles Green isn’t the real villain of the 2012 crisis. How do you view his legacy at Ibrox? 💬

Scally, who became the club’s youngest-ever debutant in the Scottish Premiership last season when he appeared against Falkirk, has long been viewed as one of the club’s most promising talents.

He was invited to the first team’s training camp in Spain under Danny Rohl and has consistently impressed at youth level, earning comparisons for his potential as a modern, attacking full-back. Thus, it is clear that many at Ibrox have high expectations of him for the future.

With McInnes now in charge at Ibrox, Scally’s comeback could accelerate his pathway into the senior environment. The manager has shown a willingness to involve emerging players, calling youngsters into friendlies and squad sessions as he shapes his group. He knows how much it means for the fans to see one of their own coming up the ranks.

Scally could be given minutes off the bench in the Scottish Premiership

Given ongoing injury concerns across the squad and the competitive demands of the Premiership and cup competitions, McInnes may see value in bringing Scally into regular first-team training to assess his readiness.

Such integration would allow the teenager to train alongside senior left-backs and adapt to the physical and tactical intensity of the first team.

With five substitutes available and a congested fixture list ahead, there is a realistic route for Scally to earn minutes coming on as a late substitute in league games if he continues to progress. While the Gers boss may not want to risk him in the Scottish League Cup semi-final, he would be more than happy to hand him a start in the early rounds of the Scottish Cup.

If he builds on his return to fitness and impresses in training, McInnes could soon give the young left-back a closer look at the senior level as Rangers balance immediate results with longer-term squad planning.