It’s time for Steven Gerrard to make a call on Rangers fringe man Glenn Middleton.
The winger burst onto the scene as a teenager during the manager’s first season at Ibrox, playing regularly and even impressing during a tough away assignment in the Europa League against Spartak Moscow.
The speedster was rewarded with a new long-term contract [BBC Sport] and while he was still a rough diamond, he looked to have a bright future at Ibrox.
However, he soon fell out of favour and since the beginning of 2019, he’s made just three first-team appearances.
Plenty of upheaval has followed those outings with aborted loan moves to Doncaster Rovers and NAC Breda as well as brief and unsuccessful stints at both Hibernian and Bradford City.
Middleton attended the pre-season trip to France in July but his name has barely been mentioned since with Scotland U21 boss Scot Gemmill recently admitting his player was frustrated with his situation at Rangers [Daily Record].
The lack of team news being provided from behind closed doors B team and youth squad matches ensured it was unclear whether Middleton was participating or on the sidelines with an injury.
His midweek goal for the B team in the 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle, though, proved that he’s fit.
The ex-Norwich City player’s involvement against the Jags as the first team prepared for a big Europa League qualifier, showed that he wasn’t in the manager’s plans for the game, despite Brandon Barker’s hamstring injury and the loan departures of Jamie Murphy and Jake Hastie.
B team football is beneficial for the likes of Nathan Young-Coombes as well as new arrivals like Charlie Lindsay and Tony Weston, as they are extremely talented but not yet ready for senior football.
Middleton has gone from playing in front of capacity crowds at Ibrox to these essentially meaningless early-season friendlies, though, and it’s not benefitting anyone.
With less than a fortnight remaining in the transfer window, surely a decision has to be made by Steven Gerrard.
If the manager has no intention of involving Middleton this season, no matter how short of attacking players he finds himself, then the Scotland youth star should be allowed to leave.
Given his talent and the fact that he is under contract until 2023, the Gers should be able to receive a sizeable fee. However, as we saw with Jamie Murphy, if a player is completely frozen out of the first-team, it’s difficult to convince interested clubs to part with cash, especially in the current financial climate.
Two years after Middleton featured for the Gers in a Europa League group stage clash at Villarreal, his fledgling career is at a crossroads and Rangers need to do the right thing.
