RANGERS will not enter an Under-20s team into next season’s development league after being allowed to play a series of games against some of Europe’s top clubs.

The Ibrox club has gained permission from the Scottish Professional Football League to temporarily remove their side from the domestic set-up to trial a new scheme aimed at improving the standard of players coming through from ages 17 to 21.

While still taking part in the SFA Youth Cup and Challenge Cup, Rangers’ top colts team will swap fixtures against familiar opposition for playing the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, Benfica and Bayern Munich.

“We have been working on this for the best part of a year,” said Craig Mulholland, Rangers’ head of academy who has also played a key part in the SFA’s Project Brave initiative. “We’ve had tentative contact with these clubs. Until we got the go-ahead from the SPFL board last week, we couldn’t firm up the fixtures. We’ve spoken to Spurs, Southampton, Man United, City and they’re delighted to take games with us.

“We were over at Leipzig last year, we’ve spoken to them, also Sporting Lisbon. There’s a whole range of clubs that are keen. We’ll firm up the actual programme of games soon.”

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson added: “The board is excited by this initiative as we want to become market leaders in all areas of our business and we believe this project is innovative and forward thinking.

“Developing our own players is a big part of our future at Rangers and is at the heart of our business plan as a club. There is no question that change is required to try to improve the standard of player being produced in our country and we are delighted to be leading that change.”