Rangers manager Philippe Clement has disclosed that Neraysho Kasanwirjo might be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to knee surgery. The 22-year-old loanee from Feyenoord, affectionately known as ‘Nana’, sustained the injury while representing the Netherlands Under-21s against England and has been absent from the last three Rangers matches. Following the 1-0 Scottish Premiership victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, Clement stated: “Nana’s surgery was successful, but he will be out for at least four to six months. Therefore, we cannot rely on him, and we will assess his situation at the end of the season.” He added, “We have an agreement with Feyenoord for him to undergo his rehabilitation there, but I maintain contact with Nana, who is understandably disheartened not to continue his progress, as he is deeply attached to the club, the dressing room, and even the staff—which is not always the case. So, we will see how things unfold at the end of the season, but for now, we cannot count on him in the coming months.”
Rangers journeyed to Perth following a remarkable 4-1 Europa League triumph against Nice on Thursday night, which brought them closer to qualifying for the knockout stages. However, their league performance once again showed a dip. Clement, nonetheless, credited Josh Rae’s performance for preventing a more substantial scoreline. The Saints’ goalkeeper made several crucial saves before and after an own goal in the 63rd minute by former Rangers midfielder Jason Holt.
Clement remarked: “It was a solid performance today; the only thing missing was scoring the second, third, or fourth goal to end the game earlier and crush the opponent’s belief, which we did effectively against Nice. But we must also acknowledge the excellent performance of the goalkeeper on the other side.”
Callum McGregor believes Celtic’s depth was showcased in their 5-0 thrashing of Ross County. Brendan Rodgers made six changes following the commendable 1-1 Champions League draw with Club Brugge on Wednesday night, and four of those changes—Liam Scales, Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo, and Adam Idah—scored in the first half alongside the Hoops’ captain, as the dominant leaders secured the points by halftime. Jack Hamilton replaced the injured County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw just before the break and made several good saves to prevent a more lopsided scoreline, but Celtic’s superiority was undeniable.
“The players who have stepped into the games have made a significant impact for us,” said Callum McGregor. “We make a few changes, and the level remains exceptionally high. Great energy, great quality, exemplified by Luke McCowan. He scores a goal and provides a few assists as well. But that’s what we want—everyone to come in and work as hard as they can for the team and create those moments. And as I said, we’re all in this together.”
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