Bongani Zungu: Update on when Rangers will have him in action

South African international midfielder Bongani Zungu will join the Rangers first-team squad for training as they prepare for their Europa League Group D fixture against Lech Poznan at Ibrox on Thursday night.

Bongani Zungu, pictured celebrating a goal for Amiens against Rennes last December, will join the Rangers squad for training ahead of their Europa League match against Lech Poznan on Thursday night. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images)

The 28-year-old is now free of the quarantine period he had to observe following his arrival on a season-long loan from French club Amiens, a deal concluded in the closing hours of the transfer window on October 5.

Zungu has been included in Rangers’ Europa League group stage squad by manager Steven Gerrard and is therefore eligible to make his debut against Polish side Poznan as the Scottish Premiership leaders look to build on the positive start they made to the campaign with their 2-0 win over Standard Liege in Belgium last week.

A place on the bench is the most likely scenario for Zungu as he gets up to speed with his new team-mates but Rangers assistant-manager Gary McAllister has welcomed yet another selection option in an already highly competitive area of the Ibrox squad.

"Zungu becomes available to train with us just prior to Poznan,” said McAllister. “So that’s very encouraging. It adds to our strength in the middle of the park.”

‘Bongs’ has made great progress

Meanwhile, Zungu’s international team-mate Dean Furman, who had a brief spell at Rangers at the start of his career and is now back in British football at Carlisle United, has backed the player he calls ‘Bongs’ to make a big impact in Scotland.

“I’ve seen him develop for a number of years now and he has made great progress,” Furman told Rangers matchday programme. “For a big guy, Bongs has very good feet and is good on the ball. He’s strong too, so I don’t see him having any problems with the physical nature of Scottish football.

“What an opportunity it is for him to play for a massive club. He is more than up for the challenge. I was already there when he first got involved with the national team and he caught my eye very quickly. I was really impressed with his ability.

“All round, he can play in that box-to-box role because he moves well but he also has a more defensive side to his game that he can utilise."

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