Had you asked Rangers fans about the future of Blackburn Rovers-linked Rabbi Matondo prior to the match with Ross County, you might’ve got a slightly different answer from the one come full-time.
The Welsh international winger, 23, is an enigmatic and frustrating member of the Rangers first-team squad.
There is no doubt about Rabbi Matondo’s technical ability and searing pace, but there remains big questions about his application and his maturity.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is the man tasked with getting the most out of the winger and harnessing the ability Schalke 04 once paid £11m for (MEN).
Now in his third season at Rangers, there’s been plenty of talk about Blackburn interest in Matondo but after an instrumental showing in the 6-0 win v Ross County, the winger has plenty thinking twice.
But when grilled about the Ibrox attacker’s future, Clement is clear that unless Blackburn stump up, Matondo will be staying put.
Rabbi Matondo gets Rangers ‘reward’ for hard work
Rangers fans saw the best of Rabbi Matondo at home to Ross County.
And hopefully a glimpse of what’s to come for a player who has the capacity to frustrate and mesmerise in equal measure.
In a stunning Man of the Match display, Rabbi Matondo scored two goals and laid on two assists as Rangers ran riot at Hampden.
But Matondo’s appearance in the starting XI turned heads amid the backdrop of strong links to Championship side Blackburn Rovers.
The Lancashire club’s manager John Eustace even confirmed interest in Matondo heading into the weekend.
Asked what the future holds for the electric winger, Clement was coy enough to respond that it’s about constantly improving.
“What the future holds? That I hope that he continues what he’s been doing now,” Clement told Sky Sports after the rampant Rangers rout.
“And it’s again about details, working on that.
“He’s scored now two goals in front of goal, in the middle or even the first post.
“In the past he was always waiting for these balls on the second post and really waiting. Also details that we worked on last couple of weeks.
“I am happy also that they get the reward then for all the hard work that they’re doing.
“It’s about keeping this focus and concentration to focus on everything that they need to do on the pitch.”
Philippe Clement in Rabbi Matondo transfer update
Obviously such a response wasn’t enough to satiate reporters hungry for a headline.
Philippe Clement is never one to get into the details of transfer stories and once again did his best to swerve an interrogation on Rabbi Matondo.
But the Rangers manager did make clear that he expects the Welshman to still be around come September 1st.
Why? Well as always at Ibrox, it comes down to money.
And unless someone is willing to stump up how much Rangers value the attacker, then Matondo will still have the chance to prove himself in Glasgow.
“I think he’s going to stay yeah,” said Clement. “Otherwise somebody needs to come with enough money.
“That you never know in the last week, but my idea is that he will be here this season.”
Rabbi Matondo joined Rangers from Schalke 04 in a £2.5m deal back in 2022.
Since moving to Ibrox, Matondo’s Rangers career has been blighted by a combination of injury and inconsistency.
Playing 64 times for Rangers in total, Matondo has eight goals and 12 assists to his name with the showing v Ross County unarguably the best individual match of his Ibrox career to date.
