'I can play for England' – Rangers star sets sights on Three Lions call-up despite domestic struggles as 2026 World Cup looms

Rangers star Max Aarons has set his sights on an England call-up despite his domestic struggles as the 2026 World Cup looms. The 25-year-old right-back insists that representing the Three Lions is still the biggest ambition of his career, and he’s determined not to let his early issues in Glasgow derail that vision.

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  Rough start in Glasgow – ‘A night to forget’

  Aarons' introduction to life at Rangers has been nothing short of brutal. The club sits eighth in the Scottish Premiership, with just one win in seven games, and the European campaign ended in humiliation after a 6-0 drubbing by Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off round, a game in which Aarons saw red after just eight minutes. Since then, Aarons has struggled to nail down a starting spot, managing just 17 minutes in Rangers’ last four league matches. 

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  Last-gasp hero: A goal that could change everything

  However, in the dying moments against Livingston, Aarons produced a brilliant winner, suggesting that he can recapture the form that marked him out as a top prospect when he was younger. 

  A European Under-21 champion with England in 2023, he has tasted international glory before, and he wants more. In an interview with he said: "I’ll always believe that as it’s a dream of mine. That feeling will never leave and that was a big factor in joining Rangers. Coming here, I believe I can make a big impact. I’ll work hard and hopefully that translates into people watching me. If that includes the England set-up, that would be amazing. Ultimately, you’ll never get a call-up if you’re not playing and that’s what I’m focused on. It’s one step at a time and that’s in the back of my mind. I’ll do everything I can to push for that and make myself stand out.”

• A career at a crossroads

  Aarons’ journey so far has been a rollercoaster. From being labelled “untouchable” at Norwich by Daniel Farke, who once claimed he wouldn’t sell him “even for £100 million”, to fighting for minutes at Bournemouth, and now on loan in Glasgow. The £7 million move to Bournemouth in 2023 was meant to kickstart his Premier League dream, but injuries and competition limited his opportunities. A loan to Valencia followed, yet game time remained scarce. And now he is looking to turn things around at Rangers.

  "I wasn't getting the games at Bournemouth last season that I was happy with," he said. "Obviously, I went on loan to Valencia and it was a similar situation there. So I think this is one that I'm coming in here off the back of maybe not having played as many games as I wanted to last season. I drew a line under that and I'm coming in here and hopefully Rangers fans will definitely see the best version of me."

• New dawn at Rangers with Cole as mentor?

  With Russell Martin’s sacking and a new manager on the way, Aarons believes he now has a clean slate. Moreover, Aarons has turned to one of the best to regain his form: Ashley Cole. The Chelsea and England legend has become an invaluable mentor, and Aarons lights up when talking about his advice. 

  "There’s no one better out there that you could listen to," he said. “I don’t ever remember a player getting past him. Just being able to pick his brains and ask, ‘What would you do in this scenario?’ The advice he’s given me has really helped and it was a pleasure to talk with him, especially as I was a Chelsea fan growing up.”

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