Rangers centre-half Connor Goldson has said it's imperative the Light Blues develop a love for defending across the whole pitch if they are to tighten up at the back this season.

Goldson, Nikola Katic and Jon Flanagan have arrived at Ibrox this summer as Steven Gerrard prioritised defensive reinforcements in his recruitment drive.

The trio will likely play key roles as a result as Rangers look to shore up defensively after shipping 50 goals in the Premiership last season.

Gerrard will make his first appearance in the dugout this Friday when the Ibrox side host Bury in a pre-season friendly, before attention turns to next week's qualifier against Shkupi.

Rangers have signed eight players already under Gerrard but for Goldson the new faces will have no problem keeping clean sheets as long as they are quick to develop a mentality of defending from the front.

"It's football at the end of the day," he said. "You can put any players on and if they want to fight and defend that goal as a back four then they'll do it whether they are new or have been together for years.

"It doesn't matter how long you've been together if you have a desire to defend and want to keep clean sheets then you'll do it.

"It's about getting that into the whole side, never mind the back four, that we go into every game wanting to keep clean sheets."

With David Bates and Russell Martin away and Bruno Alves edging towards the Ibrox exit, Goldson will likely form a new centre-half pairing alongside towering Croatian stopper Katic.

The former Brighton defender, who revealed Rangers have trained in both a back four and a back three under Gerrard, said he'd been impressed with what Katic has to offer, both on and off the ball.

Asked if he and Katic would form a solid partnership, Goldson said: "Firstly, it's an if, we have other defenders here so we all have to earn the right to play in the first team.

"But he's looked good, he's looked strong, he's very aggressive and he's mobile which is good for the way we want to play.

"We can play as well, but first and foremost it's about defending and I like that he's aggressive.

"Hopefully, if it is us two that are chosen then we can perform well."