Rangers midfielder Connor Barron has been out of action since January after picking up a knee injury.
Prior to that, he played in every league match since September, offering a starting option as well as someone who can be brought on off the bench.
In all competitions this season, the Scotland international has made 29 appearances, scoring two goals.
Connor Barron could make the bench for second Old Firm derby
Danny Rohl revealed that Barron could return to first-team training this week after being out of action for nearly eight weeks.
However, he is still some way away from returning to full fitness to compete in professional games.
Dr Rajpal Brar, an injury expert and sports scientist, does not see him making the bench against Celtic this Sunday.
The game will come way too soon for him, and the Gers would want to gauge how he responds to training before considering him.
In case he responds positively, the best-case scenario for him would be him being ready to make the bench for the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Celtic on 8 March.
Discussing Barron’s situation exclusively with Rangers News, Dr Brar said: “This progression of him nearing a return to training aligns with the initial timeline of around 10-12 weeks, perhaps a little on the earlier side, which is always a possibility depending on how the player progresses.
“Based on an extended hiatus, I think they’ll want to see at least a week or so in full training and then bounce matches before he plays a full 90 minutes.
“I don’t expect him to be available this weekend and next weekend; at best, he would make the bench.”
How Danny Rohl will use Barron at Rangers for the rest of the season
With Rangers signing Tochi Chukwuani in January, Barron has further fallen in the pecking order.
That said, the 23-year-old still offers solidity and legs and will be useful in the second halves of games.
He is known to break up play extremely well, and his work rate has also been impressive.
Barron’s influence often goes underappreciated among the fans, but Rohl has managed to get the best out of him, and he will continue to feature regularly once he returns from his injury.
