Derek McInnes is confident World Cup midfielders Cammy Devlin and Thelo Aasgaard will be fit for Rangers' first game of the Scottish Premiership season after they came off in their final pre-season friendly - a goalless draw with West Ham United at Ibrox. Rangers start their season away to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
Cammy Devlin remained humble when it was suggested his introduction as a half-time substitute helped change the game in Rangers' favour as he made his first appearance for Derek McInnes' side in Wednesday's 2-1 pre-season friendly win over St Etienne. "It does help," Devlin told Rangers TV. Rangers took the lead from a penalty by former Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland, Ian Cathro's Ligue 2 side equalised through previously Celtic-linked midfielder Jakob Breum before Thelo Aasgaard secured the win with another spot kick.
It has been 67 days since Hearts last played a competitive match, and it is unlikely they will be involved in anything quite as dramatic as that afternoon at Celtic Park. There has also been significant turnover in personnel since May. High-profile departures have seen Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland make the move to Rangers, following last season's head coach, McInnes. As a result, a new cast has been assembled at Tynecastle over the past few weeks, tasked with building on a campaign that few associated with the club will ever forget.
Manager Derek McInnes has suggested Rangers could complete more signings before Wednesday's friendly meeting with St-Etienne at Ibrox on Wednesday. Rangers, third in last season's Scottish Premiership, have already brought in six new recruits, with Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin following McInnes from Tynecastle to Ibrox.
Lawrence Shankland is convinced Cammy Devlin will flourish at Rangers and believes the midfielder "doesn't get enough credit". The striker says he's "buzzing" to link up with his former Hearts team-mate and insists the Australian can excel at Ibrox. Devlin was signed as a free agent after leaving Tynecastle earlier this summer, having played an integral role in the club's Scottish Premiership title push.
Ryan McGowan is confident "there'll be another Cammy Devlin" at former club Hearts before too long. Australia midfielder Devlin, 28, has left Hearts to join Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers under freedom of contract. "That's the way that football works," McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
Sections of the Rangers support have long called on the club to recruit the Scottish Premiership's best talent, and the Ibrox hierarchy appear to be acting on that this summer. Both Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin were among Hearts' standout players as they came within minutes of a historic Scottish top-flight triumph. The Ibrox club have signed both without needing to pay a transfer fee and have also plucked manager Derek McInnes from Tynecastle.
Hearts face a rebuilding job this summer - and not just because they have changed head coach and lost the man who led them close to their first title in 66 years in his only season in charge. Scotland striker and Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland had already left for Rangers before McInnes joined last season's top scorer at Ibrox. Beni Beningime has left under freedom of contract, fellow key midfielder Cammy Devlin has yet to decide whether to accept a new deal and there are doubts about the future of 43-year-old Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Cammy Devlin has stated "I absolutely love Hearts" as the Australia midfielder continues to ponder whether to extend his stay at Tynecastle. The 28-year-old, who was a late substitute in his country's 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their final pre-World Cup friendly on Sunday, is out of contract after five years with the Scottish Premiership club. Amid reports that Devlin has offers from clubs in Major League Soccer, the Turkish Super Lig and English Championship, he described Hearts as "an amazing football club" in an interview with Football360.
