Pre-season performer set for second Gers chance
Soccer Football - Europa League - Round of 32 Second Leg - Rangers v Royal Antwerp - Ibrox, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - February 25, 2021 Rangers' Cedric Itten celebrates scoring their fifth goal Pool via REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Cedric Itten was one of a few players to emerge from pre-season with any credit, some decent performances and a few goals against Arsenal, Real Madrid and Partick Thistle hinted at the possibility of more game time in his preferred position of playing through the middle.
He started against Malmo but was starved of any service in what has been one of the worst performances of the season, Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos alternating after that game due to suspension and isolation periods respectively and he was soon shipped off to the Bundesliga with his Rangers career apparently over.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has recalled the Switzerland international though and it could prove to be a shrewd decision given his preference of seeing his strikers play the width of the goals and higher up the pitch, the Gers gaffer explaining why Itten got the call earlier this week, as reported by The Glasgow Times.
Itten fitting our current system isn’t the only benefit to having him back, Roofe has suffered a couple of injuries and can’t be relied on not to break down again plus Fashion Sakala looks like he is going to be utilised in a wider position – an extra striker option off the bench could be invaluable.
Squad depth was key in our title success last season and with five subs allowed for the rest of the campaign there is no reason why Itten can’t get more game time and even more goals, the form he showed before we signed him – and in pr-season – would be greatly appreciated.
For a player who looked like he was heading out the door, he could yet have a long term future at the club.