The Rangers head coach has been previewing the game against Club Brugge
Russell Martin has dismissed transfer speculation surrounding a Rangers player wanted by Aston Villa and Wolves, as his side look to progress to the league phase of the Champions League.
After getting past Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen, Belgian side Club Brugge now stand between them and the lucrative top table of European football. It will be a stern test in the early days of Martin’s reign, which while has been positive in a continental sense, has got off to a bumpy start in the domestic scene.
They have drawn their opening two Premiership matches and encountered difficulty in a 4-2 win against Alloa Athletic at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup. The transfer window is still open and their latest signing is Jayden Meghoma on loan from Brentford for the rest of the season, a player Martin worked with at Southampton. He arrives as Jefte looks bound for the exit door.
Read More
Rangers transfer update
He said: “I think he's got better and better. I think he'll get better and better. He was only not on the squad on Saturday for a rest. He picked up a kick on Tuesday, but he's trained really well. And I think, yeah, I think he's going to be a big player for us. I said that from the beginning, but I also said obviously it's been a difficult summer for him and all that, but the last few weeks, I've loved the energy that Nico's brought.
“He's going to be really important for us and he will play on Tuesday and he'll be a big player for us. He's been really good. So we analysed his clips, me and him together from Tuesday. So yeah, I've not heard anything, not at all. So he's been brilliant and I'm pretty sure Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart and the gang would have told me if we'd had heard that (transfer request), so no.”
Russell Martin on Rangers vs Club Brugge
On the game, Martin talked up the excitement levels, but striker Cyriel Dessers is a doubt for action. He added: “Dessers is the only concern going into Tuesday’s game. He has been responding to treatment very well, so if it's not tomorrow, he will be back by the weekend or next week.
“It's a really exciting time, it's a really busy couple of weeks where every game is big, and it's a really exciting time for the group. It will be a great atmosphere in the last European games; the fans have been great which the players have felt on the pitch, and we can't wait for the same atmosphere on Tuesday.
“I have always told the players that they have to enjoy playing at Rangers and enjoy winning, and that is the first focus. I enjoy managing this club every day, and we have to focus on what we can control. We are focused on Tuesday and winning. It is a massive game, it's not only for the player, but for the staff, the club and the fans, and that is our aim Tuesday, to give it our all. “
Continue Reading