Ex-Rangers title-winner makes 2024/25 prediction and names five players that the Gers should sign in January

Pedro Mendes has discussed Rangers chances of winning the Scottish Premiership this term.Pedro Mendes has discussed Rangers chances of winning the Scottish Premiership this term.
Pedro Mendes has discussed Rangers chances of winning the Scottish Premiership this term. | Getty Images
Pedro Mendes has had his say on this season’s Scottish Premiership title race

Former Rangers playmaker Pedro Mendes believes his old side are more than capable of winning the title despite their poor start to the season.

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The Light Blues currently sit third in the Premiership table and are already five points behind league leaders Celtic and high-flying Aberdeen after just five matches.

However, Mendes, who famously helped Rangers fight their way back from a seven point deficit in 2008/09 remains hugely confident that his team can turn things around and believes the key characteristic at this stage of the season is belief.

The 11-time Portugal international explained: "I’m 100% sure (Rangers will win the league). They just need to believe. Believe in the team, believe in the player next to them, believe in the manager and the thing that you do well. I think that’s the most important thing in such a tough competition.”

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He told Gambling.com that patience is crucial as Clement looks to gel his new team together in the coming weeks.

 He added: “It’s always difficult when new players come in at Rangers. It’s a different reality for sure, compared to the clubs that they came from. Sometimes you need time to adapt to a new reality, the new challenge you have ahead of you and the pressure you’re under, because at Rangers a draw is a bad result. So you need to win every single game.

“There’s quality players there, but sometimes you need to give them time, but at Rangers you don’t have time. You just need to train and be on top of your game as soon as you sign. Even in my time, during the season we were 6 or 7 points behind (Celtic). The main thing then is for the players to believe in themselves, the manager and the process.”

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The former Champions League winning midfielder, who starred for FC Porto, Tottenham and Portsmouth now works as a football agent and has recommended a number of top talents for Rangers to assess in the January transfer window.

He added: "For Rangers, in Vitoria de Guimaraes, there are fantastic players like Joao Mendes and Tomas Handel. In Braga also, they have the Horta brothers, who are good players. Bruma is a good winger. And Roger, another young winger who I think is only 18 years old.”

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