Rangers release Jack Butland hospitalisation statement as issue emerges over captaincy for Celtic match

Rangers have confirmed that Jack Butland will miss Thursday’s Old Firm derby with Celtic after the goalkeeper was admitted to hospital on New Year’s Eve with internal bleeding in his leg.

The 31-year-old is Rangers’ No 1 and was expected to play in the first Premiership match of 2025. However, his deputy Liam Kelly - a Scotland internationalist - will now start against Celtic, with Butland sidelined for an indefinite period of time.

A statement released by Rangers on Wednesday read: “Rangers can confirm goalkeeper Jack Butland will miss tomorrow’s Old Firm match with Celtic.

Rangers keeper Jack Butland has suffered an internal bleed in his leg. | SNS Group

“The goalkeeper suffered an internal bleed in his leg which required hospital treatment, but he has since been released and is recovering. Everyone at Rangers wishes Jack a speedy recovery.”

Butland made his own comments on the situation on social media not long afterwards, writing: “I really appreciate the messages, but it’s important the information is correct. I’ve suffered a significant bleed to my leg that needed hospital attention. Thankfully that’s now under control and will lead to a full recovery, hopefully sooner rather than later.

“Needless to say, it’s come at an awful time and I was fully focused on helping us as a club. The most important thing now is supporting the lads and focusing on getting fit again as soon as possible.”

Butland’s absence adds to an already problematic injury list for manager Philippe Clement ahead of hosting champions Celtic, who lead them by 14 points at the summit of the Premiership.

The Belgian is also without captain and right-back James Tavernier and centre-half John Souttar, while another defender in Leon Balogun only has a slight chance of being fit after suffering a calf/Achilles injury on Boxing Day against St Mirren.

Speaking on New Year’s Eve in his pre-match press conference, Clement said: “There’s a very, very, very small chance that Leon Balogun can return. We will see. He did some individual work today.

“Nobody will come back into the squad and we lose Tav also, who got an injury at the end of the game. We took a scan, and there’s clear damage there so he will be out for a few weeks.”

Liam Kelly will start his first Old Firm match on Thursday. | SNS Group

If Balogun fails to make it, then Robin Propper will be either be partnered by Dujon Sterling - who would be Tavernier’s deputy normally at right-back - or youngster Leon King, who is has been used sparingly by Clement since he took over as Rangers boss in October 2023.

Butland’s absence also raises the question of who will captain Rangers against Celtic, as he normally wears the armband in Tavernier’s absence.

Kelly, meanwhile, will play only his second game for Rangers since joining from Motherwell last summer. The 28-year-old deputised last month for Butland due to the birth of the England internationalist’s child against Dundee, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.