Glasgow Rangers will be hoping this season was a one-off as Michael Beale looks to challenge for domestic glory in 2023/2024.
There will be no silverware gracing the Ibrox trophy room for the first time since 2020 and given how dominant the Ibrox side were during their title-winning campaign in 2020/21, the drop-off has been staggering.
There have been a few positives during the latter half of this term, most notably how easily Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell have settled in, while on loan midfielder Malik Tillman has demonstrated his massive talent during what has been an underwhelming period for the Light Blues.
His performances led to him winning the PFA Young Player of the Year, voted for by his peers and with a fee of £5m being touted as what it will take for Rangers to sign him permanently, could a move happen this summer?
The American discussed his future recently, saying: “It might not be the end here so we will see what's going to happen in the summer.
"I'm going to speak to Michael Beale in the coming days and see what he's saying, see what Bayern are saying and then I will decide."
Could Malik Tillman join Rangers this summer?
Much will depend on how many funds Beale gets to play with during the transfer window, although with a fair few players leaving due to expiring contracts and some deadwood being shipped out, there may be enough in the kitty for the 20-year-old to join ahead of next season.
The £13k-per-week starlet has been a bright spark for the Gers since arriving, scoring 12 goals and registering five assists across all competitions, utilising his talents in the notoriously physical Scottish Premiership, with a stunning solo goal against Motherwell the highlight.
Across the whole Rangers squad, Tillman ranks third for big chances created (12), fourth for goals (ten), third for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and sixth for key passes each game (1.6), clearly underlining his importance to the team this season.
Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane praised Tillman, saying that the youngster had “telescopic limps” earlier this year, while fellow teammate John Lundstram lauded him after a win against Aberdeen in October, saying:
“Tell him how good he can be and how good he is. Because he’s phenomenal, his talent is up there with one of the best young talents I’ve seen. Stick with him, rather than saying he needs to be dropped if he has one bad game.”
Investing £5m may seem like a lot at this moment in time, especially with him still developing, yet Beale could generate millions in profit for the Ibrox side in the next few years with Tillman's value having already risen by 200%, as per Transfermarkt, since his arrival on British shores.