Rangers and Hearts now working together to find solution over attacking ace reveals Steven Naismith
Rangers and Hearts are working in conjunction to find a solution to the injury suffered by Alex Lowry, Steven Naismith has confirmed.
The young winger has been on loan at Tynecastle this season, making 16 appearances in all competitions, but after being substituted in the defeat to Aberdeen last weekend has an issue with his back that will keep him out against Celtic.
As a result the Jambos boss has revealed medical staff from both clubs have teamed up to help the 20-year-old back to fitness.
Naismith said, via Edinburgh News: “Lowry has a small issue in his back which, between Hearts and Rangers, we are trying to get to the bottom of. At the moment he has come out more precautionary until we find out the full extent of it.
Development
Lowry’s loan to the Scottish capital has been a tentatively positive one but he has been in and out of the side, and often featured as a central midfielder.
With Michael Beale having dispensed with numerous wide men in the summer, as Ryan Kent, Fashion Sakala and Ianis Hagi all left Ibrox, there may have actually been more of an opportunity for the young Scot back in Glasgow than previously.
Ross McCausland has instead broken through thanks to Steven Davis and now Philippe Clement and appears to be developing quickly.
But with the injury list back at Rangers getting longer by the day it appears that even those who aren’t currently in the squad are also joining it, so the Light Blues medical staff must be stretched pretty thin right now.
Having burst into the first team during a difficult winter period for Giovanni van Bronckhorst two seasons ago Lowry’s development stalled in the time since.
Assuming he can regain his fitness the increased senior football he is getting at Hearts should send him back to Glasgow as a better player, and the opportunity looks to be there for him with the attack very much a work in progress after Beale’s summer overhaul fell flat.
Abdallah Sima has been key but doubts remain over whether a permanent deal with Brighton will be possible despite the Senegalese suggesting he wants one, and with Scott Wright and Rabbi Matondo also blighted by injury an improved Lowry could surely force his way into Clement’s thinking.
And with a managerial change happening in his absence it is surely a positive development that Rangers staff are having some direct contact with the loanee to keep him in mind at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, Clement is now expected to receive a chunk of a £20million-plus windfall in backing for the transfer market.