Robin Propper is proving to be a concern for Rangers already after picking up an injury so soon after signing as part of a growing issue for Philippe Clement, says Derek Ferguson.
The Dutch defender arrived as the replacement for former vice-captain Connor Goldson during the transfer window [Sky Sports, 31 July], but has been substituted in three of his four starts and missed the 6-0 win over Ross County hurt.
As one of the few senior additions that Clement was able to secure this summer there is a lot riding on his signing being a success, but after missing just seven games in total over the past three seasons for FC Twente the 30-year-old has appeared short of fitness so as a Gers player.
And that is a concern for Ferguson who is not yet convinced that he is an upgrade on what the Light Blues already had.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News: “Yeah he obviously has come into replace Goldson. I’ve not seen enough of him. He’s not too dissimilar to a [John] Souttar or a [Leon] Balogun.
“We were told this guy when he came to the club, ‘Yep, he is a leader, he’s got something about him, he very rarely misses games’. And there we go he’s injured after his second game.
‘I’ve not saw enough of him but that is a worry that he’s already picked up an niggling injury, and it wasnae contact, I think it was a muscle injury that he’s picked up.“
Robin Propper yet to show upgrade on Connor Goldson at Rangers
It is early days and it takes some adapting to a new league and new country for any player, especially one who had spent his entire career in the Netherlands previously.
But the centre-back spots have proved such an issue in recent seasons with successive managers struggling to find a settled, confident pairing, as inconsistent form and endless fitness issues forced continual reshuffles.
Goldson may have reached the end of the line at Ibrox either way after a clear regression last term, but Propper so far looks to have only added another inconsistent option who has injury concerns when Clement really needed someone to step in and take charge of the unit.
Recruitment has been poor on the whole in recent windows, and with signings at a premium this summer the manager badly needed to get the ones he could make bang on, but the jury is still out on the centre-back.
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