Summary Rangers aim to rebound in the League Cup quarter-finals after ending Champions League dreams against Kyiv. Injuries plague Ridvan Yilmaz's career, opening the door for youngster Jefte to step up in his absence. With Yilmaz out, highly-rated Robbie Fraser could take his chance to impress and solidify his place in the Rangers squad.
Glasgow Rangers will be looking to get back to winning ways this evening as they aim to progress to the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
The Ibrox side suffered a 3-1 aggregate defeat to Dynamo Kyiv in midweek, ending their Champions League dream in the process.
With the Light Blues already trailing Celtic by two points in the Premiership after just two games, Philippe Clement may see the clash against St Johnstone at Hampden Park today as a welcome distraction.
A win will still be expected, of course, but it gives the Belgian a chance to unleash a few young players in the starting XI.
One change will definitely have to be made, with Ridvan Yilmaz suffering an injury against Kyiv on Tuesday evening, ruling him out for the foreseeable.
Ridvan Yilmaz suffers yet another injury
As talented as the Turkish defender is, Yilmaz has missed his fair share of games through injury since joining the club in the summer of 2022.
Indeed, the 23-year-old has missed 40 games through a series of injury issues over the previous two seasons, with this number growing due to his latest setback.
Injury
Days out injured
Games missed
Hamstring (2024/25)
Current injury
Current injury
Hamstring (2023/24)
38 days
6 games
Strain (2023/24)
28 days
8 games
Hamstring (2022/23)
131 days
24 games
via Transfermarkt
Yilmaz took a shot at goal in the second half, but just minutes later, he was lying on the turf clutching his leg and a stretcher took him off the field.
The Hampden crowd would have feared the worst seeing this, while Clement gave an update on his situation during his pre-match press conference on Friday, saying: "Ridvan will be out 4-6 weeks roughly," which is yet another disruption just as he was beginning to gain consistent minutes in the first team.
The question for Clement now is: who will replace Yilmaz for the next few weeks? Will a summer signing be ready to take over?
Jefte could replace Ridvan Yilmaz at left-back
When Borna Barisic left the Light Blues at the end of his contract, it left Yilmaz as the only senior left-sided defender in the squad.
This was certainly an area that needed some depth added to it, with the club going out to sign Brazilian youngster Jefte not long after Barisic’s departure.
The 20-year-old spent the whole of last season on loan at Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia from Fluminense, going on to make 33 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Jefte also managed to score three goals and register four assists. Considering it was his first stint of senior football outside of his homeland, the young talent impressed significantly.
His attacking talents were clearly on display as the defender also averaged one key pass per game, while succeeding with 2.4 dribbles each match – a success rate of 62% – which demonstrated how often he liked to burst forward from his left-back slot.
Clement experimented during the two ties against Kyiv by using Jefte as a left-winger. He had a part to play in the equaliser during the first leg before enjoying a solid display at Hampden on Tuesday.
He was rather harshly given a second yellow card and sent off, but there were plenty of positives to take from his display.
With this in mind, Clement may stick with Jefte in a more advanced position against St Johnstone this afternoon. This decision may open the door for a talented youngster in the Gers squad to gain a rare opportunity in the starting XI…
Why Robbie Fraser should start for Rangers
Scotland U21 international Robbie Fraser signed a new contract to remain at the Light Blues until 2026 in June, signifying how valued he is at the club by the management team.
With Yilmaz now out for the next 4–6 weeks, now is the perfect time for him to make the step-up and prove to Clement exactly why he signed an extension.
The 21-year-old captained the B team during the previous two seasons, making a total of 53 appearances, scoring four goals and registering ten assists in the process.
Although hardly a goalscoring threat, Fraser showcased his dead-ball skills on a regular basis, even netting a “superb” free-kick – as hailed by journalist Jordan Campbell – during a match for the B team in 2022.
He finally got his chance in the first team during the final few matches of last season. He came on for the last half an hour in the win over Dundee, before being unleashed in the starting XI against Hearts just a few days later.
Despite playing for just 90 minutes combined across those games, Fraser proved that he could have a wonderful future at Ibrox.
Not only did he average two key passes per game, but the defender also created one big chance, recovered four balls per game and won three ground duels per game at an impressive success rate of 75% – encouraging statistics indeed.
Could these displays, combined with Yilmaz’s injury, ensure he gets a chance against the Saints today? Clement offered a hint during his pre-match conference.
“Robbie [Fraser] has made a really good evolution in the last couple of months, he has done really positive things throughout pre-season,” said the 50-year-old.
“Part of our story is to give chances to boys coming out of the Academy.”
Fraser can take encouragement from the likes of Ross McCausland, who forced his way into the starting XI last season due to injuries on the right wing.
With this area of the squad lacking depth, it is up to the 21-year-old to take his chance over the next few games and prove to the manager he could be a long-term solution to the problematic position.
Clement could unearth an ideal Ridvan rival in Rangers' 20 y/o gem
Rangers may have an ideal Ridvan Yilmaz rival with a young academy prospect
ByRoss KilvingtonFeb 16, 2024
Rangers have a rich history of producing excellent full-backs from the academy, as the likes of Alan Hutton and Nathan Patterson secured moves to the Premier League after shining in Glasgow.
Could Fraser follow in their footsteps? His journey may just start today at Hampden.