Rangers have been handed a crushing double injury blow as Ross McCrorie and Bruno Alves are both set to be sidelined for a significant amount of time, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper claim that McCrorie’s foot injury is worse than originally feared, and he has aggravated the injury while at the Gers’ Florida training camp.
The 19-year-old centre-back will now miss up to seven games, including his side’s huge league clashes against Hearts, Hibernian and Aberdeen.
McCrorie was a regular in the team this season, making 19 appearances across all competitions.
The Scottish Sun also report that experienced centre-back, Alves, will be unable to feature until the middle of February.
The 36-year-old is out due to a calf tear, and has made 17 appearances for the Light Blues this season.
Alves, despite only joining in the summer, was one of the players the Gers were willing to sell in the winter window, according to the Scottish Sun.
OPINION
The loss of McCrorie is a tough one for the Gers, especially considering the high-profile matches he will miss. However, the loss of Alves is less of a blow, given the fact, Rangers have shown their ability to cope without him this season. Thankfully, Graeme Murty has already signed adequate cover for the centre-back position in January, after welcoming Russell Martin to the club. The 32-year-old brings a wealth of experience, which will see him easily slot into the back-line. Murty also has several other options at centre-back, even without McCrorie and Alves. Danny Wilson, David Bates and Fabio Cardoso could all be called upon to cover their teammates’ injuries.