Leon King has been pictured training with the Rangers first-team as the defender looks to make his first start of the season for Philippe Clement’s Scottish Premiership giants against Dundee.
With John Souttar joining Rangers’ walking wounded, the phrase ‘one man’s misery is another’s fortune’ comes to mind as Clement looks to maintain his 100 per cent start to life in Scotland’s top flight.
Leon King, the Glasgow-born 19-year-old, has not featured at all for Rangers’ first team in 2023/24. What’s more, he’s only appeared in a matchday squad for one of the club’s Premiership fixtures, omitted again vs Hearts on Sunday.
Souttar’s sudden unavailability, however, opens up a window of opportunity for a teenager who spent Tuesday’s training session being put through his paces by Clement and his coaches, per the Rangers website.
Leon King could return for Rangers
“It is quite a puzzle with the various injuries,” Clement tells Glasgow Live.
“(Nicolas) Raskin is not in the squad (for Dundee). He was doing good things, so it is a pity. I hope it is short-term, but it’s not guaranteed. We will see in the next couple of days. Tom Lawrence is back training, but not yet fit enough to be in the squad.
“John Souttar will also be unavailable with a small muscle injury. In the next couple of weeks and months, we want to have a bigger squad available. (We) are working on this internally.”
King, a Scotland under 21 international, featured rather regularly for Rangers last season, making 15 league appearances as Souttar ended up missing the majority of the campaign.
John Souttar injured
Ironically enough, Souttar’s latest injury blow could again provide an opportunity for Leon King to step up in his place.
“I spoke with him after the game and I congratulated him,” fellow defender Borna Barisic told the Daily Record after a then-18-year-old King held his own in a 2-0 Champions League defeat away to Livepool in 2022.
“He is 18 years old. To come to Anfield and play like he played is a very big thing for the club and for him personally. (King) has a bright future. He’s a great lad.
“He acts well in training and is a very good lad off the pitch. He is always on top of the world. That is why he can come to Anfield and play like he played. He has a lot of quality as well.”
