As Mick Beale confirmed that Danilo would not pay any part in Rangers’ Europa League opener against Real Betis after sustaining a fractured cheekbone in the weekend win at St Johnstone, West Brom boss Carlos Corberan could probably sympathise.
Corberan, too, has lost his marquee striker signing to injury, although Josh Maja is likely to be consigned to life on the sidelines for far longer than Danilo.
“Unfortunately, in the last action of the game he received a tackle from the defender. And, from that tackle, the injury has come,” Corberan sighs, Maja facing two months out after tearing his ankle ligaments in the 0-0 draw with Bristol City.
“Now, he’s going to be out of the group for the next eight weeks.”
Nightmare start for Josh Maja at West Brom
Corberan would be forgiven, in his darkest moments, for wondering if he had accidentally walked under 13 different ladders before putting pen to paper with The Baggies back in October 2022.
Daryl Dike missed the majority of last season through injury, and now that same curse has struck down the man brought in from Bordeaux in an attempt to ease the goalscoring burden on the luckless American.
“In the international break, I could see that process (of getting Maja up to speed) was done and finished,” Corberan adds. “I thought he was ready to be a starting player.
“But I also thought, on Saturday at Bristol City, he could impact the game more from the bench and link with Brandon Thomas-Asante. I thought they were exceptional on Saturday when they were on the pitch together.
“Unfortunately now, we cannot repeat this for the next eight weeks.”
Rangers enduring their own injury issues
According to Rangers Review, Maja was a genuine option for Rangers too during the summer window; the former Sunderland forward scoring 17 times during a stellar 2022/23 at Bordeaux.
Beale eventually spent big on Danilo instead. And, while neither player is yet to really set the world alight at their new club, the Brazilian will at least be back sooner rather than later as he looks to ignite a fire under his Rangers career.
