The great mystery of Rangers’ star midfielder

“Insert overused clichés about Steven Gerrard and Barry Ferguson here”

Ok, is that out the way? The fact is we all know Jordan Rossiter is a special talent. You do not look at ease in the Europa League and English Premier League for a side the size of Liverpool without being impressive, while excelling for your country and captaining them.

Rossiter outclassed his fellow midfield colleagues earlier this season when paired with the likes of Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar, making Rangers fans genuinely believe we had acquired one of the all-time modern bargains snapping this kid up from the Scousers for less than half a million squid.

His awareness, physique, strength, agility, composure, workrate, passing and general ability for someone who had not reached his 20th birthday yet were second to none – to look that assured at his age in arguably the most important position on the pitch took some doing but Rossiter coasted it.

Unfortunately, his well-documented injury problems (notably his back) have destroyed his debut season at Ibrox, and given some insight as to why Jurgen Klopp was not overly crushed to see the Liverpool youth product leave. For all his talent, for all his worth, Rossiter simply cannot hold fitness.

Rangers fans were given a little hope earlier this month when the midfield anchor was filmed on the bikes alongside new permanent recruit David Bates on the 14th, but the two were alone and while Rossiter was in good spirits, he appeared no closer to a full return to action while Bates has since been spotted training with the seniors several times.

Team mate Josh Windass posted a quirky photo of the young playmaker but it did not hint at any kind of a timescale for his restoration to Rangers’ plans, and indeed Rangers sent the Englishman south to the best medics at the FA in St George’s Hospital in London, in order to examine him further and try to help resolve the back injuries that are arguably threatening his career as much as his season right now.

This is a player Rangers desperately want fit. If ever any member of the squad suited the ‘Barry Ferguson’ role in the team, it would be Rossiter, but as yet we simply do not know when he is likely to return.

Reportedly it is an injury which spreads – I am no doctor, but it appears it begins in the lower back and then consequently affects hamstrings and calves – and hopefully February’s visit to specialists have found a way to resolve it for him.

The sight of him on the bikes was promising, but until he is equally spotted on the training pitch, we have to curtail our hopes a touch.

Rangers will be a much stronger prospect with him fit.