Rangers youth midfielder Joao Balde confirms Ibrox summer exit
Joao Balde has confirmed that he will be leaving Rangers this summer.
The 19-year-old took to social to make the announcement via his personal Instagram account on Thursday evening.
The defensive midfielder is the latest in a host of talents who have had their exits from the club confirmed in recent days, with the likes of Andy Halliday, Jon Flanagan, and Wes Foderingham also destined to leave in the coming weeks.
Balde spent the first half of the season on loan at Berwick Rangers, but has been unable to make a breakthrough into the senior setup at Ibrox, and is still yet to register his first team debut.
The youngster is a product of the Gers’ own academy system, and was called up to Portugal’s youth team setup last season.
Writing on his personal account, Balde said: “End of a Chapter.
“Thank you Rangers and all the best for the future”.
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Is it the right decision to let Balde leave?
With a player of his age, it’s difficult to say for definite.
It’s impossible to get the full measure of a player when he is still only 19, and there’s no saying how high his ceiling of potential truly is.
What you would have to say, however, is that there are few managers as well-qualified as Steven Gerrard to pass judgement on a young central midfielder.
If the ex-Liverpool man is wiling to let Balde go, then it surely means one of two things.
Either Balde isn’t up to the task, or Gerrard believes that he has enough exciting young talent to make the Portuguese youth international surplus to requirements.
Still, the news of his departure comes as a bit of a surprise, especially considering that it was only last year that youth coach David McCallum heaped praise on him.
Speaking to the Scottish Sun, he said: “Some of the things that Joao can do, I don’t think any of us can teach him.”
Here’s hoping that the starlet can carve out a successful career for himself somewhere else, even if things weren’t meant to be in Glasgow.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox Exclusive: Alex Bruce claims injury misfortune ‘stunted’ Flanagan growth at Gers.