Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst demands strong start as side look to reclaim Scottish Premiership title | Football News

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is looking for the strongest possible start to the Scottish Premiership season as they look to reclaim the title from Old Firm rivals Celtic.

The Ibrox side kick-off the new season on Saturday at Livingston, live on Sky Sports, as the manager makes clinching the title their top priority.

“I think that’s the most important competition we’re in,” he said.

“We want to be champions of Scotland again. We didn’t last year so we start all over again and we have to make sure we have a good start.

“We’ve prepared well and we are ready for the challenge we will face.

“It’s very important to get a good start and get the first three points of the season.”

New signing Rabbi Matondo will miss Rangers’ trip to Livingston after picking up a knock which also leaves him a doubt for the first leg of their Champions League third-round qualifier with Union Saint Gilloise on Tuesday in Belgium.

Alfredo Morelos has been included in the Ibrox side’s European squad with the manager hopeful he will be able to play a part in key matches.

Morelos has been out of action since April after surgery on a thigh injury suffered during international duty with Colombia.

“He has been doing large parts of the sessions with us and he is looking stronger every day,” said Van Bronckhorst.

“Hopefully we can have him back in the squad really quickly and get him involved.

“We named him in the squad for the first ties of the competition – Tuesday and then a week later – so hopefully he will get involved really soon.”

Van Bronckhorst also confirmed defender Nikola Katic has been told to find a new club.

The Croatian, who joined Rangers in 2018, spent last season on loan at Hajduk Split after more than a year out with a cruciate ligament injury.

Centre-backs John Souttar and Ben Davies have joined this summer, with Connor Goldson agreeing a new deal.

The manager said: “I have spoken with Niko and we agreed it would be nice for Niko to get another club and play elsewhere.

“His future for next season will not be at Rangers, he has to find a club where he can play and we will help him with that.”