It won’t be too long now until the new Premiership season starts.
As always, there is a massive spotlight on Celtic and Rangers, as they look to battle for another Premiership title amid Brendan Rodgers’ side’s dominance.
There has been a lot of change in Glasgow this summer, mainly from those at Ibrox, including Russell Martin being appointed new Rangers manager.
Added to that, the San Francisco 49ers have invested in Rangers, as they aim to win silverware after going trophyless again last season.
But Celtic hero Paul Lambert had a message for all those getting excited.
- READ MORE: Paul Lambert states what would happen if Celtic and Rangers were in the English Premier League
Celtic hero Paul Lambert debunks what ‘everybody’ thinks Rangers can do in the transfer market
A lot of the talk and focus has been on the spending and how much money Rangers could splash in the 2025 summer transfer market.
But Lambert told talkSPORT Rangers can’t dip their hands into their pockets and spend ‘what everybody thinks they can spend.’
The legendary midfielder also warned the Gers that it is still going to be ‘really difficult’ to close the gap on Celtic, and how he is backing his former side to go and ‘do it again.’
Alan Brazil asked: “Rangers haven’t exactly spent fortunes to try and close that gap, have they?”
Lambert responded: “Well, they can’t. That’s the thing, they can’t really. Everybody knows the problem that has happened in the last number of years there, so they can’t go and spend what everybody thinks they can spend.
“What they have to do is try to close the gap on Celtic, which is going to be really difficult. But Russell going in, who I know really well. You are going to have a two-horse race; it happens every year, and it will be nip and tuck along the way.
“Then, from an ex-Celtic point of view, I hope the lads go and do it again.”
Can anybody challenge Celtic for the title outside of Rangers?
For decades and decades, it’s either Celtic or Rangers, not just winning Scotland’s main crown, but the only two challenging for it.
The likes of Hearts, Hibernian and Aberdeen are seen as the biggest clubs outside of the Glasgow duo, so can they challenge for the title ahead of the new campaign?
Despite new investment at Hearts, as well as Hibs’ strong end to the 2024/25 season, and Aberdeen winning the Scottish Cup final, Lambert made it clear that ‘I don’t see it.’
Brazil asks: “Is there any other challenge coming apart from Rangers? Hearts. The Brighton owner (Tony Bloom) has got involved with Hearts now. It’s about time Edinburgh had a decent side.”
Lambert responded: “I think so, Al. Hibs and Hearts, obviously, Aberdeen, I think, should be more of a challenge.
“But I still don’t see it. They might go at it in the early part of the season. They might have a little stab at it, but I think, over the course of it, you tend to find that Celtic and Rangers are running away at the top end.
“You would like Hearts and Hibs to do it. I think Hibs had a great end to the season. Hearts were disappointing. Hibs look like they have got a little bit of momentum.
“For the league and Europe, I think it’s important that the Edinburgh clubs make a challenge.”
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