Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Kemar Roofe is nearing a return to the Ibrox first-team ahead of the League Cup clash with Dundee.
The Gers are set to welcome Gary Bowyer’s side to Ibrox as they make a bid for Hampden and eventually reclaiming a trophy they haven’t won for over 11 years.
And the club may well be boosted by the presence of Jamaican international striker Kemar Roofe who hasn’t played for Rangers since being a late substitute in the Europa League Final defeat to Frankfurt in Seville.
Speaking ahead of the clash against the Championship side, van Bronckhorst confirmed Rangers are “ready” to give minutes to the forward in the match.
Amid a series of high-profile injury blows, this comes as a major boost to Rangers as the club look to navigate a busy schedule heading into November’s World Cup break.
Van Bronckhorst also made mention of Alex Lowry, who returned in the B Team’s 4-1 victory over East Stirlingshire in the Scottish Lowland League.
“Kemar is in the squad for tomorrow (against Dundee),” said van Bronckhorst [Rangers].
“So he’s ready to make minutes, we’ll try to give him that tomorrow.”
Kemar Roofe readies timely Rangers return v Dundee
Rangers paid a reported £3.5m to sign Kemar Roofe from Anderlecht in 2020 and the striker went on to help fire the club to their first title in a decade in his first season.
However, as potent an option as the ex-Leeds United star has been when fit, Kemar has seen his two-and-a-bit years at Ibrox interrupted with a string of injuries.
In his two years at the club, Kemar Roofe has made 72 appearances and scored an impressive 34 goals; the striker averages a goal every 116 minutes in a Rangers shirt.
But the club have had to deal for lengthy spells without the 29-year-old’s influence and Rangers fans will be hoping that Kemar’s injury problems are now well behind him.
If Rangers can keep Roofe fit, then alongside Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos the club looks to have several potent options at the top end of the pitch.
Most of the club’s main injuries are however centred in defence so it’s been great to see a £4m Ibrox investment begin to pay dividends.
