PHILIPPE Clement has revealed that Rangers are in talks with French club Lens about extending Oscar Cortes’ stay at Ibrox even though the Colombian loanee will not play again this season.
Clement has hoped the winger, who suffered a muscle injury which required surgery in the cinch Premiership match against Kilmarnock back in February, would return to action before the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
However, the Belgian, whose team take on the Rugby Park side in the league in Govan tomorrow afternoon, yesterday confirmed that neither the 20-year-old or long-term absentee Danilo would feature this term.
The Rangers manager, though, indicated that he is keen to keep Cortes, who impressed supporters with his lively displays out wide after arriving in January, in Glasgow after his current agreement expires, either in a permanent deal or on loan again.
READ MORE: Rangers player joins Livingston on emergency loan deal
“We are talking with Lens about what the situation is because in this situation it is a different situation from when he was fit,” he said.
“At the moment he was fit he was showing the right things, but it was really short term. Then it needs to be at the right price.”
Asked about the possibility of Cortes returning to Rangers on loan next season, Clement added: “That is something to discuss. We will see what is said in the talks with Lens. I cannot say just now.”
Meanwhile, Clement has welcomed Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland and right back James Tavernier being nominated for the PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year award by their fellow professionals and Ibrox winger Ross McCausland entering the running for the Young Player of the Year honour.
READ MORE: Rangers ace Connor Goldson ruled out for rest of the season
“They were booed off the pitch a few times six months ago,” he said. “The club was not in the right place. So it's also proved there has been a good evolution made in the club.
“You can only be nominated if your team is doing the right things. It's a collective sport so it means, at Rangers, something has gone well. Not everything yet, we know and we're working hard on that to make it better and to make it more consistent.
“I see that Ross last season trained five times the whole season with the first squad and he's now nominated for that prize. That's a really positive thing for all the academy and everybody who worked closely in the youth teams and the first team with Ross and Ross himself for the way he's worked all this time.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here