Rangers winger Jamie Murphy is battling to save his career at Ibrox, according to Football Insider.
The Glaswegian has been plagued by knee injuries in the past, and missed 52 games last season with a cruciate ligament problem, as per Transfermarkt.
And according to the report, he now faces a fight to convince manager Steven Gerrard that he has left those complaints behind him and that he still has something to offer the Gers in the long term.
It is believed that there are lingering fears that it could be several months before he is able to perform at the same level he was prior to his lengthy setback.
What are the chances of Murphy making a return at Ibrox?
Ultimately, there are two main factors that threaten to derail any hopes he may have of reestablishing himself as a major player for the Gers.
For one thing, at the age of 30, time is not on his side.
That’s not to say that 30 is old by any stretch of the imagination, but if it takes another six months for him to be back to his best, and with a plethora of younger, more readily available talents knocking on the door, it could be difficult for Murphy to displace some of those upstarts who have emerged during his absence.
The other real issue is that Rangers have gone big on signing wingers this summer.
Sheyi Ojo has enjoyed a stellar start to life at Ibrox, while last year’s Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year Ryan Kent has also returned. Scott Arfield and Joe Aribo can both play out wide at a push, and that’s without Jordan Jones and Brandon Barker, not to mention the loaned Jake Hastie.
In short, Murphy has a mountain to climb.
That’s not to say that he can’t pull it off, of course.
On his day, Murphy was a fine player.
During his last properly influential campaign, Brighton’s 2016/17 Championship season, he averaged 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, as well as 1.5 key passes and two shots, as per Whoscored.
If he could replicate that kind of form, then maybe Murphy would have a chance, but as it stands, you can’t help fearing that it all could be too little, too late for the wide man.