Rangers Champions League team news as new signing added to squad but star forward ruled out until September

Rangers will be without Oscar Cortes until September after the winger twisted his knee in Saturday’s 0-0 draw away to Hearts.

The Colombian suffered the injury in tussle with Jambos right-back Gerald Taylor late in the first half and despite reemerging after the break he was eventually withdrawn after going down early in the second half.

Cortes rejoined Rangers on a season-long loan from Lens this summer after spending the majority of last season's loan spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury. The Ibrox side have an obligation to buy that will see the 20-year-old complete a permanent transfer next summer.

Cortes will now miss the Champions League third qualifying round ties against Dynamo Kyiv this week and next as well as the play-off round tie against Red Bull Salzburg or Twente later this month, if they manage to get past the Ukrainians. He could also miss the first Old Firm match of the season against Celtic on September 1.

“Oscar Cortes did not travel, he had a scan and he will be out for around four to five weeks,” confirmed manager Philippe Clement, speaking at his pre-match media briefing ahead of the first leg against Kyiv in Lublin, Poland.

“Of course, it is hard blow for him and for the team because he was coming back (after last season’s injury) and he is going to become an important player for the future of this club.

“I think the quality in our rehab is better than we had last season so he is going to come back and be important this season but we are going to miss him in these important weeks.”

New centre-back Robin Propper has been added to the squad after joining from Twente but Clement is wary of pitching the 30-year-old Dutchman in too quickly.

“Robin Propper is fit but of course, when you come in there are a lot of things to do in that moment,” he said.

“I think Brexit doesn’t help in that way. I know from experience, you have to fill in so many papers to come and live in Scotland and you need to find a house and a school for your kids.

“There are a lot of things going on in his head also over the past week because he is just a few days with us so that is something to take into consideration for the game tomorrow.”

Clement confirmed that Rangers were looking to sell Romania midfielder Ianis Hagi, who played for the club’s B team as the first-team flew out to Poland.

“No,” said the manager when asked if the 25-year-old was still part of his plans. “We had talks with him and his agent in the pre-season and we need to look at a lot of things with the club about wages and how many players we can have in a position with the budget we have, and get a budget to make transfers so it was really clear towards him that the idea is to sell him.

“That is what he wanted also so that is the clear situation.”

Clement admitted it would “make a big world of difference” if Rangers could qualify for the Champions League over the next four weeks but he acknowledges it was far from a formality.

“You cannot count on that, it’s a long road to take,” he said of Champions League qualification. “It’s four really important games that you need to win or qualify in, so it’s a big road.

“Let’s focus now on the first leg and get a good result to take to the second leg. That’s what we need to do, not look at where we are in September.

“We want the Champions League and we will do everything to get that, but the Europa League is not a disgrace for sure. It was a nice journey in the Europa League last season but everybody wants to be in the Champions League.”