Rangers will be keeping one eye on Zak Lovelace’s Millwall situation – could it come back to bite them?

It is easy to forget that Zak Lovelace is still only 20 years old.

The winger made his Millwall debut almost five years ago, becoming the club’s third-youngest player when he came off the bench against Coventry City in December 2021.

At the time, Lovelace looked like one of the most exciting young prospects to emerge from The Den, and it was not long before clubs from higher levels began to take notice.

Brighton and Leicester City were among those interested in the teenager before Rangers won the race for his signature in 2022.

However, Lovelace’s time at Ibrox never quite went to plan, and after a series of injury problems and limited first-team opportunities, he returned to Millwall in February 2025.

Now, with the 20-year-old finally getting a run of appearances for Alex Neil’s side, Rangers will be keeping an eye on how his career develops.

Lovelace impressed after joining Rangers

There was plenty of reason for Rangers to be excited when they brought Lovelace to Scotland.

He had already scored 21 goals in just 19 youth appearances for Millwall before making the move, while his first season in Rangers’ B team suggested that the club had landed a player with serious potential.

Lovelace scored 15 goals and provided six assists in 26 Lowland League appearances during the 2022/23 campaign.

He also contributed six goals in six UEFA Youth League matches, helping him earn recognition from England’s youth setup.

The winger went on to represent England Under-17s at the European Championship, featuring in a squad that included several players who have since made their mark at senior level.

However, breaking into the Rangers first team proved to be a much tougher challenge.

Injuries disrupted Lovelace’s Rangers career

Lovelace started the 2023/24 campaign around the senior squad and was handed his first league start for Rangers.

Unfortunately, his opportunity was cut short when he suffered a hamstring injury after just 41 minutes.

The problem kept him out for almost four months and disrupted what could have been an important period in his development.

Although Lovelace remained around the first-team picture after returning, regular minutes were difficult to find.

Rangers eventually allowed him to return to Millwall in February 2025, but his injury problems continued.

The youngster required knee surgery shortly after arriving back at The Den and was unable to return to action until September.

He then suffered another hamstring problem while playing for the Under-21s, further delaying his progress.

For a player who had shown so much promise as a teenager, it was a frustrating period.

Lovelace is finally getting his chance at Millwall

The current campaign has offered some encouragement.

Millwall have suffered with injuries during the early part of the season, which has given Lovelace an opportunity to spend more time around Neil’s first team.

Eight of his 14 senior appearances for the Lions have come this season.

He has started EFL Cup matches against Cambridge United and Newcastle United, while also making several appearances from the bench in the Championship.

Lovelace has not yet become a regular starter, but simply being involved consistently represents a significant step forward after the injury problems he has experienced.

He has also already registered an assist, setting up a goal in Millwall’s 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers.

His Championship minutes remain limited, though, with 105 minutes across six league appearances and a longest outing of just 27 minutes against Wrexham.

Rangers will be watching closely

There is still a long way to go before Lovelace can be considered an established Championship player, but his current progress will be interesting for Rangers.

The Scottish giants clearly saw enough potential to bring him to Ibrox as a teenager, and his performances at youth level showed why.

The biggest problem was that injuries prevented him from getting a sustained run of senior football.

Now back at Millwall, Lovelace has another opportunity to show what he can do.

If he can remain fit and gradually earn more minutes under Neil, there is every chance his role at The Den could grow throughout the season.

For Rangers, that makes his development worth following.

They will know better than most that Lovelace possesses considerable potential, and if he eventually establishes himself in the Championship after leaving Ibrox, there could be some frustration around what might have been.

For now, though, the priority for Lovelace is simple: stay fit, build up his minutes and finally put together the consistent run of football that has been missing from his career so far.