Dujon Sterling nowhere to be seen at Rangers, Philippe Clement could bin him already in January

Rangers summer signing Dujon Sterling has become an unfortunate afterthought at Ibrox since his move and he could well be binned in the January transfer window after injury troubles already.

The former Chelsea youngster arrived on a free transfer in the summer after flourishing on loan at Stoke City last season but has also picked up a number of injuries already which has made him a forgotten man.

The 23-year-old has only played twice in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, with his only start coming against Celtic in the first Old Firm Derby of the campaign, where he was deployed by Beale on the left of defence.

A tactical decision which certainly failed miserably.

Sterling was substituted not long after the hour mark in that game as he was one of many Rangers players who struggled against Brendan Rodgers’ side, winning only 44 per cent of his nine ground duels and failing to complete a single one of his three attempted dribbles [Fotmob].

Since that match in early September, Sterling hasn’t played more than three minutes of a game, with his last cameo coming against Livingston in the Viaplay Cup on 27 September.

In fact, he’s been nowhere to be seen at training due to a number of injury issues already since his move, and alongside Leon Balogun, he’s somewhat slipped in between the cracks at Ibrox.

Journalist Chris Jack told the Rangers Review morning briefing on 26 October that Philippe Clement is “paying the price” of his predecessor’s decision since Sterling isn’t ready to step in at grasp his opportunity and that the 24-year-old has already become a “forgotten” member of the squad.

Jack said (13m 45s): “It raises questions about Dujon Sterling. He’s not exactly come in and set the world alight. He’s almost become one of the forgotten guys of the squad.

“If you look at the summer signings, [Jack] Butland obviously speaks for itself, there’s debate about [Sam] Lammers and [Cyriel] Dessers, we know the situation with Danilo, but Sterling has almost become one of these guys, like Leon Balogun, who’s just in the mix in the squad but people don’t really talk about them.

“They don’t really miss them, people aren’t really calling for them to get a shot. He’s clearly not going to get in ahead of Tav, he should have been the backup left-back but he’s obviously not available for whatever reason.”

“That would have been part of Michael Beale’s thinking that Sterling can play either side so that’s why the European list is the way it is but it’s obviously not transpired that way and Philippe Clement is now paying the price for Michael Beale’s call.”

Indeed, Sterling was intentioned by Michael Beale to be the long-term replacement for James Tavernier but the Ibrox fan-favourite is certainly showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, and very rarely gets injured.

Just when Sterling will feature in his preferred position at Ibrox for the first time remains to be seen, but given Rangers are under new management right now, Philippe Clement could well have plans to strengthen and improve the squad which could leave Sterling’s future at the club uncertain already if he fails to get fit before Christmas.

Sterling cannot afford to slip further into obscurity or else the Rangers bosses may ruthlessly feel that they’ll need to cut some major losses in the January window.

He’s got to get himself fit and firing fairly quickly, as harsh as that may sound given his injury woes at Ibrox.