As Rabbi Matondo came off the bench v Ayr United, you’d have been surprised to hear the winger made his 50th appearance for the Ibrox side.
Signed in the summer of 2022 to much fanfare, Rangers were supposed to have landed a bright young Bundesliga talent for whom the sky was generally the limit.
Having just come off a stunning season in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, the move to the Gers was supposed to be Rabbi Matondo’s next big step in the game.
Rabbi Matondo reaches 50 games for Rangers
Holding off interest from the Premier League and Old Firm rivals Celtic, there was excitement about the transfer despite the high wages and reported £2.5m paid to Schalke for his services.
But since then there has been a sheepishness about the now 23-year-old who – after a disjointed 50 games defined by stuttering injuries and a lack of form – has no more excuses at Rangers.
It’s a sizeable milestone for a player who has only really contributed in flashes at Ibrox.
Under Michael Beale the player briefly began to flower, the young Welshman earning a new lease of life perhaps under a manager famed for his influence in the youth teams south of the border.
Since Philippe Clement has come in, Rabbi Matondo has struggled for fitness but now is the one time £11m ex-Man City youth’s chance to finally leave his mark.
No more excuses for talented Ibrox winger
With Abdallah Sima sidelined for the next two months, there is an opening in the squad that Rabbi Matondo can move into.
After 50 games at Ibrox where fans and flip-flopped over the winger, any period of grace is officially over.
The next 50 matches will define Matondo’s Rangers career and let’s hope we’re describing the signing as a masterstroke by the time he enters triple digits.
In 50 games for Rangers, Rabbi Matondo has scored four goals and laid on nine assists.
