Rangers rue doomed £3m transfer as injury heaps pressure on nervous Ibrox signing.
If you think back to the beginning of the summer, you might recall Rangers making every effort to buy a centre-back.
Rangers targeted Panamanian defender Jose Cordoba during the summer transfer window after the end of last season.
Rangers felt they had convinced Jose Cordoba to relocate to Glasgow after giving him the Ibrox treatment. However, the centre-back changed the goalposts at the last minute.
Nils Koppen revealed that Rangers canceled a £3 million deal due to uncertainty with Jose Cordoba, who ultimately moved to Norwich City.
Rangers’ inability to re-enter the market and invest in the center-back position has led to injury issues in their defense.
Rangers confront a defensive injury crisis.
John Souttar, a Scotland international, was performing well for Rangers before suffering an injury against Tottenham Hotspur.
The 28-year-old was forced off in the first half of the Europa League match and missed the Premier Sports Cup Final against Celtic.
According to Philippe Clement, Souttar will miss’several weeks’ owing to the injury, which might range from two to three months in Rangers medical terminology.
Rangers had already lost versatile defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo to a season-ending injury sustained while on international duty with the Dutch U21 team.
The Feyenoord loanee has returned to Holland following surgery and will most likely miss the remainder of the season.
Rangers’ disappointing 2-1 loss to St Mirren has been compounded by the loss of Leon Balogun to a nasty injury sustained in Paisley.
The 36-year-old Nigerian international defender was replaced by Dutchman Robin Propper due to a suspected Achilles injury.
The ex-FC Twente captain doesn’t seem to get it at Rangers and looks like Bambi on ice every time he enters an away stadium in Scottish football.
Another nice man centre-back who flaps at the smallest bit of offensive pressure or aggressiveness, the jury is still out on Propper, and Rangers fans have little faith in the defender.
The 31-year-old is our only fit natural center-back, prompting Clement to discuss the potential return of ex-Liverpool failure Ben Davies.
Rangers lament lack of center-back trade activity.
According to Kris Boyd, if Philippe Clement fails to overcome Motherwell and Celtic, his tenure as Rangers manager will be over.
Fan pressure will very probably reach a breaking point.
The Belgian coach had begun to restore some goodwill with fans moving into January, but his squad just completely blew it in Paisley, with fans sharpening axes across the country.
Rangers will likely play with a makeshift center-back duo of Robin Propper and Dujon Sterling in these two matches, but center-back remains a priority for the upcoming winter transfer window.
Rangers will rue their failure to properly replace Jose Cordoba in the summer, as the club’s weak defence has cost them dearly this season due to injury and incompetence.
Rangers may finally be willing to open the checkbook in January and truly invest in their defense.
However, it may be too late for Philippe Clement’s job, and virtually probably for the Scottish Premiership title.
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