OPINION
Rangers attacker Serge Atakayi has joined Finnish club SJK Seinäjoki on loan and Rangers fans are hoping that he can get some game-time and come back to Ibrox stronger for next season.
?? #RangersFC can tonight confirm that Serge Atakayi has joined @SJK_Seinajoki on loan. pic.twitter.com/7gqr9CVLC5
— Rangers B & Academy (@RFC_Youth) April 4, 2019
The 20-year-old joined from FF Jare in the summer of 2016 and made his first-team debut in the 7-1 demolition of Motherwell in November. He came on in the 73rd minute but only lasted 10 minutes before having to hobble off injured.
Atakayi had to undergo surgery on an injured foot but said in February that he was close to a return. He’s now fit again and was quoted in the Daily Record as saying that Steven Gerrard has first-team plans for him next season.
“I came to SJK because I need some playing time,” Atakayi said. “Rangers saw this as the best solution for me. Steven Gerrard has told me he thinks I can play for the first team next season.”
That would be a fantastic story for the player who fled DR Congo nine years agin and sought asylum in Finland. He played 37 games for FF Jaro before being noticed by Rangers and Gerrard obviously believes he’s a talent who can prosper on the big stage at Ibrox.
Many Rangers fans are keen to see the youngster do well, with one calling him “the future” and he was called up for DR Congo last month.
That’s inspirational enough after he fled the country after playing in a youth tournament in Finland in 2010. Mark Warburton snapped him up six years later and Rangers fans will be keeping a close eye on him over the next few months, with his loan deal expiring in June.
Here are the best reactions from Rangers fans to Atakayi’s temporary exit:
https://twitter.com/ibrox_noise/status/1113899686954508289
Good luck. Can’t wait to see you part of the first team in the future ?
— Pretty Blue (@pretty_blue82) April 4, 2019
Good luck wee man represent us well i know you will. Watp
— Cameron Campbell (@CamyBigJockK) April 4, 2019
Hope to see you back in the Rangers first team squad next season ?
— Fiona W (@fio_w) April 4, 2019
Go smash it Serge
— james craig (@jwjcraig) April 4, 2019
Work hard and come back a superstar next season ?
— bigrabsays (@bigrabsays) April 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/Scotia_RLA/status/1113897039862087680
Time to push on. Get some games under your belt at a competitive level and come back stronger and ready next season.
— Petrocelli (@caltat) April 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/Cairo1872/status/1113954158003019776
Good luck, see you when you come home
— Davie (@davie1688) April 5, 2019