Noah Mbamba has been left out of Bayer Leverkusen’s Europa League squad as a potential reunion with former Club Brugge boss Philippe Clement at Rangers reportedly becomes a possibility.
Somebody had to make way.
And it just so happens that it was Noah Mbamba, the unlucky man cut from Xabi Alonso’s roster to make room for Bayer Leverkusen’s new centre-forward Borja Iglesias.
And with Philippe Clement reportedly keeping tabs on the youngster’s situation at the Bundesliga leaders – according to TEAMtalk – that omission from Alonso’s European plans is unlikely to do Rangers’ chances any harm, the 19-year-old a player who could benefit from a loan spell away from the most in-form side anywhere on the continent right now.
Rangers boss likes Noah Mbamba
“He shows a lot in training every day,” former Club Brugge boss Clement said after handing Mbamba his first-team debut at the age of just 16 back in 2021.
“He has worked a lot, but be careful. The road is still long. I will do with him as with Charles De Ketelaere (who eventually joined AC Milan for £30 million). Let him grow and give him playing time without asking too much of him. He must grow step by step.”
Like De Ketelaere, who struggled badly at Milan, Mbamba is now discovering the downside of a big move to a big league early on in his development.
He’s played only 13 minutes of Bundesliga football all season, though a shortage of opportunities is not exactly unexpected given that Alonso’s side remain unbeaten across all competitions in 2023/24. Furthermore, in his preferred deep-lying midfield spot sits Ezequiel Palacios, one of the finest number sixes around.
De Ketelaere needed to join Atalanta in an attempt to kick-start his career again. And perhaps Mbamba can take inspiration from a former team-mate if he hopes to do the same.
The uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Ryan Jack and John Lundstram – both of whom are out of contract in the summer – could potentially open the door for Mbamba to work again under a coach who has already breathed fresh life into the careers of the similarly seldom-seen Fabio Silva and Oscar Cortes.
