Rangers loanee Josh McPake is yet to score for English club Tranmere Rovers and has dropped down the pecking order there in recent weeks.
20-year-old McPake signed a new contract with the Gers in July that tied him down until 2024.
He’s already made one first-team appearance at Ibrox and is rated very highly by former and current Ibrox staff members.
After he made his debut, ex-first-team coach Michael Beale said that he had a ‘very bright future’ [Scottish Sun] and more recently, Head of Academy Craig Mulholland raved about his maturity levels and physical conditioning [Rangers.co.uk].
However, it’s been a very difficult season for him so far.
He spent the first half of the campaign on loan at newly promoted EFL League One club Morecambe and the stint did not go according to plan.
The left winger started in the team but then fell out of favour and didn’t play again after sustaining an ankle injury in October.
He briefly returned to Rangers in January before dropping down a division to join EFL League Two promotion chasers Tranmere.
Micky Mellon was delighted to land the Scotland youth international and once again, he was given early opportunities.
Rangers loanee finding it tough at Tranmere
He started six league matches in a row, but wasn’t able to make tangible contributions.
After failing to register a goal or an assist in those matches, he lost his place in the team and has only featured off the bench in one of Rovers’ last four league matches.
McPake missed out on the squad entirely for a draw with Barrow at the beginning of the month and was an unused substitute on Tuesday night for a 1-0 defeat at Hartlepool.
It can be difficult for young players to adapt to new environments and McPake isn’t the only Rangers loanee struggling right now.
But one would think he needs to force his way back into the Tranmere team and improve his overall numbers in senior football if he is to have a first-team future at Rangers.
In five stints away from Ibrox, he’s only scored four goals and notched three assists from a total of 54 appearances [Transfermarkt], with all of his goals coming for Harrogate Town.
Meanwhile, a suspension threat is set to loom over two players when Rangers take on Borussia Dortmund.
