Philippe Clement confirms key Rangers player has been assessed for injury

Philippe Clement has confirmed that Nicolas Raskin has had his long-term Rangers injury assessed – and it doesn’t look good.

Whilst the Belgian manager was not giving anything away about the nature of the injury, nor the length of time the ex-Standard Liege midfielder would be out the side, the prognosis was bleak.

Philippe Clement was clear that Nicolas Raskin does face an extended spell on the sidelines after he all but ruled the midfielder out of the ViaPlay Cup Final over the weekend.

Nicolas Raskin hasn’t been seen since being stretchered off the park in Rangers’ 2-1 Scottish Premiership over Hearts back in October.

Philippe Clement give Nicolas Raskin update

Rangers boss Philippe Clement was providing an update on Nicolas Raskin after claiming the scale of the midfielder’s issue had yet to be assessed at the weekend.

The Belgian had claimed Raskin’s initial rehabilitation work had failed to yield positive results.

It now appears that the 22-year-old midfielder – who Rangers held off some top clubs to sign last January – is set for a lengthy lay-off and the situation is a source of sizeable frustration for the Ibrox club’s new manager.

“Yes (he has been assessed) and it’ll be a little bit longer than we hoped for,” said Clement.

“It will take a little bit more time to be fit. Everybody is working really hard with him, from the medical staff in the club, they’re doing their maximum.

“Sometimes these things. It’ll be a little bit of adaptation in the things he was doing already (in rehabilitation).”

When asked about a timescale: “No (I cannot give a timescale on Nicolas Raskin’s injury). First I am not a doctor and we need to adapt now his exercise.

“We wanted to make steps with him, it didn’t follow in the way we expected, so we need to adapt and see with the new exercises how it will go.”

Squad status ahead of Hearts trip

Nicolas Raskin might be a headache for Philippe Clement but the Rangers boss is hoping the midfielder is his only major issue heading into the clash with Hearts.

Claiming his squad has suffered from a few bumps and bruises, as things stand it’s as you were from the weekend’s 2-0 win over St Mirren.

“Not too different I hope from the weekend,” said Clement. “Of course, it’s afternoon training because we have the AGM today.

“So I will hear more when the players come in. It’s just two days after the game but yesterday it seemed ok.

“Nothing really, really special, a few knocks, a few bumps, I hope no big things this afternoon.”

As things stand, Rangers are without the likes of Ryan Jack, Scott Wright and Kemar Roofe, with several of the club’s players also only just returning from injury.