Mystery surrounds the absence of Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell from the club’s warm weather training camp in La Manga.
Images shared by the club’s website of the training camp and an official training video shared to Rangers’ media channel RangersTV do not include the 26-year-old.
It’s led to some big questions surrounding the situation of Kieran Dowell who joined the club in the summer after signing a pre-contract following the expiration of his deal at Norwich City.
Dowell has seen the start of his Ibrox career interrupted by injury issues with a problem sustained in the Champions League qualifiers hampering his start to life at Rangers.
But now there are major questions over what the current squad status of the player is at the club as one Michael Beale signing in Sam Lammers heads out on loan.
Kieran Dowell missing from Rangers Training Camp
Dowell joined the club under the management of Michael Beale but had been scarcely used by new Ibrox boss Philippe Clement up until recently.
Injury has interrupted Kieran Dowell’s first season in Glasgow with the ex-Norwich City midfielder missing a lot of football between August and November.
Following a brief comeback against Dundee in November, Dowell missed five Premiership matches but started three of the club’s last four league games under Clement.
Rangers’ injury problems have somewhat forced the Belgian manager’s hand with the Rangers team missing Nicolas Raskin, Ryan Jack, and Jose Cifuentes before the break.
Whilst some fans reckon injury is the most logical explanation behind Kieran Dowell’s absence, given it’s transfer season the situation is giving rise to speculation.
Midfielder competition growing fierce at Ibrox
We don’t expect Dowell is earning a cheap wage at Rangers with the midfielder coming through at Everton and still highly-rated south of the border.
Players who are available on free contracts also generally command a higher salary on the open market.
With Nicolas Raskin, Ryan Jack, and Jose Cifuentes all returning to the fold, and John Lundstram bolstering the midfield alongside Dujon Sterling, it’ll raise questions about Kieran Dowell’s status in the squad.
The midfielder has also previously touched on his position in the Ibrox pecking order.
Perhaps more suited to being an offensive midfielder, alongside Todd Cantwell the two ex-Norwich players may well share the number 10 slot now Lammers is gone.
It’s hard to tell at this stage with the Ibrox side decidedly tight lipped on everything that’s coming out of the club this winter.
There is undoubtedly a player in there but we’ll have to wait and see if Rangers is the place where the former England U21 international recognises it.
