STEVEN GERRARD has backed Ibrox kid Glenn Middleton to be a key part of his Rangers squad this season.

The winger has made the most of his chance to impress in the opening weeks of the campaign after being called into the first team pool this summer.

Middleton filled in at left-back during the closing stages against Wigan on Sunday as Gerrard’s side clinched a 3-0 friendly win.

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And the Light Blues boss is confident there is plenty more to come from the Scotland youth international in the coming months.

Gerrard said: “We have got an injury to Declan John and an injury to Lee Wallace so I don’t think you’ll see Glenn as a left back moving forward, I don’t see that as his position.

“But because he is so gifted in terms of pace and strength, we knew he could do a job today in one v ones and he was bright enough to fill in.

“Glenn is a winger, he is a wide man and he showed flashes again today of how exciting he is. He is a player for the future and I have to manage Glenn really well and put him in at the right time. In terms of potential, he has got it all.

“Glenn is staying here. we see him as a very important squad player and definitely being a big part of it.

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“He is a baby, he is very young, so we have to make sure he has got his own individual plans in terms of training.

“Where he is strong in his game, in terms of speed, one v ones and his crossing, he needs to take that from good to excellent and he needs to really work on the other side of the game and the side that I keep mentioning running back and positionally and being a team mate that other players trust.

“The other side of the game we will work him hard on and he will improve, I am confident about that.”