When Jordan Jones picked up an injury from his wild lunge on Moritz Bauer during Sunday’s Old Firm, it looked to have opened a door for Jamie Murphy.
With Glenn Middleton and Jake Hastie both away on loan and Eros Grezda out of the first-team picture, it looked as though the 30-year-old’s only out and out competition was Brandon Barker.
However, things have changed somewhat since then.
Rangers winger Murphy’s Ibrox hopes dashed
In a dramatic deadline day swoop, Rangers brought in Ryan Kent from Liverpool for a reported fee of £7.5m [Sky Sports].
As a big-money signing who’s highly rated by Steven Gerrard, the 22-year-old is almost guaranteed to slot straight into the left-wing berth. He made 43 appearances whilst on loan last season [Soccerbase] and had it not been for two separate hamstring injuries, he would likely have been a near ever-present.
This presents a real issue for any other would-be challengers in that position. Suddenly, Barker and Murphy aren’t competing for a spot, but for a place in matchday squads or the odd start when the manager rotates.
Even at that, it’s being reported that Jones’ injury is nowhere near as bad as first feared [Express]. He should be back in contention within a month.
The manager had suggested early last month that a short-term loan would perhaps be Murphy’s best option [Daily Record] and now, despite the club’s other loan departures, we can see why.
He was already up against it after spending the vast majority of last season out with an injury of his own, and now he faces competition in the form of three new signings. You would think that when push comes to shove, the manager will back the players he’s brought in over those he’s inherited, every time.
