Connor Goldson is facing a 10 week lay off after picking up an injury late on in the Glasgow Derby.
That timeline rules the defender out of pre-season training, acknowledged as the critical period to build up fitness and stamina for the season ahead with the gradual increase in playing time during friendlies.
It is the second time in a year that Goldson has suffered a significant injury, in October he tore a thigh muscle during the Champions League thriller at home to Liverpool.
With Ben Davies delivering underwhelming performances and Filip Helander about to become a free agent it leaves Beale with John Souttar and Leon King as his only central defenders to prepare for the new season although free agent Leon Balogun could be an option.
After today’s win at Hibs the Rangers Review reports Beale saying:
I think Connor will be out for about ten weeks. It is a problem with his foot. A real strange one, he landed on it last week in the game and he wanted to continue the last three or four minutes, he did. He is in a boot at the moment and we are away to see a specialist.
That is his season over. He will return back to being on the pitch working after six weeks and it might take him four weeks after that to be ready to play. Hopefully by the start of next season he is back.
Goldson and James Tavernier were expected to bring stability to the defence in the new season but it looks like the veteran skipper will be on his own with that task in the early weeks of next season.
The Third Round of Champions League qualifiers will be played on August 8/9 and 15.