Rangers give update on Hamza Igamane situation as another new signing's behind scenes impact laid bare
Moroccan showing ‘interesting things’ in training as Kelly helps youngsters
New Rangers striker Hamza Igamane is making good progress at Rangers and is "showing a lot of interesting things" in training, according to manager Philippe Clement.
Igamane was signed by Rangers last month for £1.5 million from AS FAR in his homeland Morocco, but the 21-year-old has yet to even make the bench for his new club. Clement has always insisted that the player, who penned a five-year deal at Ibrox, is one for the future, and that he is settling in well to life in a new country.
"Hamza is doing part of the training with the group, so step by step he is going to the physical level that we need in training and later in the games," said Clement. "He is showing a lot of interesting things with the ball, which we saw from him in the games we saw in Morocco.
"He is settling in well. And with the language he is starting to learn his first English words and he is feeling really happy and grateful to be here. He is very determined to become a big player here.”
Another new signing who is yet to make a competitive appearance is goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who is understudy to undisputed No 1 Jack Butland. However, Clement gave an insight into what the Scotland stopper has brought to the dressing-room on his return to the club he served as a youth player.
"It is not like I see suddenly now that Jack is two times better than he was last season," Clement said of Kelly's impact. "That would have been difficult because then it would be really difficult to keep him. It doesn’t work that way. Liam is already important in the squad. He is very active in all the meetings, he is talking a lot with the players, helping the young guys with tactical things. He is really involved in the story and somebody with a Rangers heart."
Butland has also been impressed by Kelly, who has come in from Motherwell to replace Robby McCrorie after his departure for first-team football at Kilmarnock. "If you know Robby McCrorie you know what an intense guy he was," said Butland. "I loved training with Robbie, he was brilliant and I am glad he’s got his opportunity to go and play. Liam is a man of great experience and knows the club inside out and is a great character to have around. He offers something different and he will be valuable to us as well."
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