During a press conference last week, Steven Gerrard cleared up the Zak Rudden’s mysterious absence from all things pre-season.
The striker had been suffering from a knee injury which prevented him from featuring for either the Development XI or the senior team.
However, the manager confirmed he is fit once more and part of the first-team squad.
Despite that encouraging update, though, he was left out of the travelling party for the weekend League Cup clash at East Fife. Gerrard made ten changes to the starting XI but the teenager didn’t even make the bench.
Rangers forward Rudden’s future unclear
You would think if there was any intention on providing Rudden with game time, it would have come in that fixture.
After being left out, it seems his short-term future could lie away from Ibrox. Particularly if there’s anything in Rangers reported interest in Kilmarnock’s Eamonn Brophy [TEAMtalk].
The Scottish U19 international was linked with a loan move to Partick Thistle back in May [Scottish Sun], but even if the Jags had been interested, his injury would have rendered him unavailable until now.
It very much looks like a loan will be the best solution going forward, though. At 19, it’s crucial he gets playing time in order to further his development, after his maiden taste of first-team football at Falkirk across 2018/19.
Ideally, a lower-level Premiership club will move for him before the window shuts. If not, another stint in the Championship with a promotion-hunting side would also do him good.
Only a glut of goals will shift him up the pecking order at Ibrox, and he’ll only do that by heading out and playing regularly elsewhere.
