Clinton Nsiala update emerges at Rangers after Robin Propper nightmare vs St Mirren
Philippe Clement has made clear that Clinton Nsiala is not expected to be a factor for the Rangers first team as things stand, according to 4 Lads Had A Dream.
The Gers account responded to a question via X on 27 October after fellow summer signing Robin Propper had a miserable afternoon in the 2-1 win over St Mirren, stating that Nsiala was brought in for the B Team for now and development in the future.
The Frenchman arrived from AC Milan on a free transfer ahead of the season but hasn’t been seen under Philippe Clement since preseason, while Propper, 31, came in on a £1.5million deal from FC Twente [Scottish Sun, 2 August] to replace former vice-captain Connor Goldson.
4 Lads wrote of the younger man: “He is a B team player & B team level.
“Clement’s been clear on it mate, he’s a signing for that level & the future”.
Philippe Clement takes Rangers to Aberdeen next
There will be more than a few Light Blues fans that are thinking Nsiala can’t be any worse than Propper has been lately, with the Dutchman really struggling to settle.
A shaky start to his Gers career saw him score an own-goal against Motherwell on debut in the 2-1 win on 10 August, and Kris Boyd suggest he was “soft” for being substituted so often [Sky Sports, 15 September].
Whether a breakthrough is just around the corner or not remains to be seen but it is hard to conclude he has been an upgrade on Goldson, even considering the Englishman’s own rough form last term.
Clearly, Clement will know more about Nsiala’s level behind the scenes at Auchenhowie than those on the outside, so if the Belgian doesn’t see him as a first-team factor then there may be a reason.
But it was only a few weeks ago that Ianis Hagi was also languishing in the reserves while the manager stated there was no route back for him [Daily Mail, 31 August], before a resolution to his contract situation saw a complete 180-degree turn and Clement praising him as like a new signing [Sky Sports, 2 October].
If John Souttar and Leon Balogan are fit then both surely need to start ahead of Propper, for now at least, and Neraysho Kasanwirjo has also had a run out in the middle as well so may be the immediate alternative.
Nsiala is no teenager and while some huge names through history have been late bloomers it is somewhat surprising that his arrival in the summer was as high-profile as it was if he wasn’t even in with a sniff of the first team.
The likes of Hamza Igamane and Jefte also appeared to be ones for the future and both are now fixtures in the senior squad, so if Propper continues to struggle this badly it either doesn’t speak well of Nsiala’s prospects, or possibly his manager’s judgement, that he can’t get a look in.
In other Rangers news, a Ryan Kent enquiry update has emerged amid links to a return to Ibrox.
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