Alan Hutton has backed Neraysho Kasanwirjo to hold down a starting berth at Rangers – and believes that the Feyenoord loanee can play his way into Philippe Clement’s plans as centre back.
All three of the 22-year-old’s outings for the Light Blues so far have came as a full-back, with Kasanwirjo really catching the eye with his 90-minute display in last Thursday’s superb 2-0 away win at Malmo to get Rangers off to a winning start in the Europa League. Former Ibrox and Scotland star Hutton has been very impressed with the defender and reckons he could soon dislodge compatriot Robin Propper to play alongside John Souttar at the heart of the Rangers back line.
Speaking on the Premier Sports Scottish Football Social Club, he said: “Kasanwirjo has looked really good. He is really strong, will drive forward and is good on the ball. I would see him more as a centre half personally.” Asked by host Darrell Currie who Clement would have to drop to bring the Feyenoord loan player in at centre back, he replied: “Propper possibly. You need competition in there and that is what he (Kasanwirjo) is in there to give you.”
Fellow summer recruit Hamza Igamane was handed his first start in Sunday’s narrow 1-0 win over Hibs but Hutton believes Cyriel Dessers’ position as the Gers first choice striker is not under threat, describing Igamane’s performance at Ibrox as a bit “all over the place”. He added: “I was looking forward to seeing him start a game after the Dundee United cameo where he looked impressive.
“But I thought he was a little bit all over the place instead of just being that focal point and the number nine that Dessers can be. I don’t know if he was just desperate to come short or wide to get the ball but he was leaving a big area up top. I think there is a player there and it will take him time to settle but at this moment in time Dessers is the number one choice for me.
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