Rangers will be delighted to hear what Derek Cornelius did vs Lionel Messi
Derek Cornelius and John Souttar could potentially form a solid partnership at Rangers under Russell Martin.
The Scotland international has looked uncomfortable playing as a left-centre-back for the Gers, and the Canadian’s arrival should certainly help bring more balance to the backline.
Cornelius was brought to Ibrox on loan from Olympique Marseille, and the Light Blues also have an option to buy the left-footed defender.
Andrew Cavenagh has been told to sack Martin, but the former Southampton boss will hope the 27-year-old can help resolve the defensive issues in G51.
Russell Martin has solid defender in Derek Cornelius at Rangers
Cornelius held his own for Canada in the 2024 Copa America fixtures against Argentina, Ewan Sharp says.
The member of the Canucks’ backroom team was impressed with the centre-back’s performances throughout the tournament, as they reached the semi-finals, despite losing twice to Lionel Messi’s La Albiceleste.
Martin has seen the Glaswegian outfit ship 17 goals under his management, with nine coming against Club Brugge over two legs in the Champions League play-off, but the Marseille loanee will undoubtedly bring solidity to Ibrox.
- Cornelius made his debut for Canada in 2018.
- The defender made 21 appearances in Ligue 1 last season.
- With regular football at the Bears, the centre-back will arguably be better prepared for the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to the media, as relayed by The Herald on 5 September, Sharp said: “To be honest, when you are up against Argentina and Messi, you watch the game and you think, ‘Well, we kept him quiet for big parts of the match, we were aggressive on him, we didn’t give him time on the ball’. But afterwards, you step away and realise he made a couple of plays which led to goals.
“Derek played well throughout the Copa America and did well in those games against Argentina. We felt he was good, and our backline was solid.”
Read More: Daniel Levy already set for surprise new role after playing part in Ibrox takeover
Nasser Djiga to fight for his place at Ibrox
Most of the new signings under Martin at Ibrox have flattered to deceive so far, but fans will hope Cornelius bucks that trend.
Kevin Thelwell started the Gers’ revamp in the previous transfer window by bringing Max Aarons on loan from Bournemouth, but the English right-back has struggled.
The Light Blues focused heavily on reinforcing their defence, with Nasser Djiga also making his way to Ibrox from Wolves on a temporary deal, having joined the Premier League outfit in January 2025 for £10million, but the Burkina Faso international’s displays have been inconsistent.
Martin should drop the 22-year-old centre-back from his starting lineup at Rangers and immediately stick Cornelius in the backline to see how his partnership with Souttar emerges, and the competition will hopefully force the Wolves loanee to put in better performances.
Sign up for the Ibrox News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Rangers news sent straight to your phone.