Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has confirmed that trio first-team players beyond Alfredo Morelos have not travelled for the clash with PSV Eindhoven.
Morelos, 26, dominated the news yesterday ahead of the clash in the Netherlands after Rangers opted to drop the Colombian from the squad due to fitness and attitude issues.
The Ibrox side’s greatest ever European goalscorer, it was a major decision and as things transpire Alfie won’t be the only one who isn’t included in the European squad for this game.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst confirmed that Ibrox first-team trio John Souttar, Ben Davies and Kemar Roofe are not in the squad.
Combine all four names with Ianis Hagi and Filip Helander and Rangers are missing more than half a team of first-team stars with major questions regarding the club’s preparations this season.
“Kemar and John Souttar didn’t travel, Ben Davies didn’t travel as well,” said van Bronckhorst [Rangers].
“They’re not short (injuries). Regarding John and Kemar, they will not be back in the coming days or weeks.
“Ben Davies, hopefully he will join us in the next weeks again in training.”
Rangers without six for PSV Eindhoven clash
Naturally, these comments have led to some frustrations in the Rangers support as the club looks decidedly short at centre-back in particular.
John Souttar was signed in the summer but hasn’t been seen since the opening day against Livingston with Filip Helander another long-term casualty.
Add in Ben Davies – a player who cost the club £4m in the summer – and the entire thing genuinely feels like a bit of a farce.
Then there’s the situation with Morelos, with the long-term injury to Kemar Roofe meaning that Antonio Colak is currently the only recognised Rangers striker in the squad for the PSV Eindhoven clash.
Rangers still need to pay wages and remarkably they are paying out to some of the club’s highest earners to consistently sit on the treatment table.
It brings into question the club’s transfer strategy as of late with the mounting injury list costing Rangers domestically and in Europe last season and threatening to do the same in this campaign.
Meanwhile, one player who has been linked with an Ibrox exit was spotted back in training amid much speculation surrounding his future.
