Kosta Nedeljkovic has overcome the foot problem that threatened to rule him out of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Celtic, with the Serbian right-back returning to full training in the build-up to the first Old Firm derby of the season and putting himself in contention to start at Ibrox. His return represents a timely boost for Derek McInnes, who has been forced to shuffle his defensive options throughout the week given the number of injury concerns hanging over his squad heading into one of the biggest fixtures of the campaign so far.
Nedeljkovic’s fitness had been a genuine concern in the days leading up to the derby. Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, McInnes confirmed that the 20-year-old had picked up what was initially described as a little bit of a foot injury, explaining that the issue stemmed from a couple of accidental kicks he had taken during a training session. The knock was significant enough that the club opted to send him for an X-ray as a precaution, though McInnes was quick to reassure supporters that the scan had come back clear, showing nothing of serious concern.
Even with that reassurance, McInnes had stopped short of guaranteeing Nedeljkovic’s involvement against Celtic, noting at the time that the issue was simply a bit painful in the area where he had been struck, and that the priority was to give it the appropriate time to settle down naturally rather than risk aggravating it. That measured, cautious tone from the manager reflected the value Rangers place on their young Serbian full-back, and a determination not to rush him back into contention prematurely for a fixture of such magnitude.
As the week progressed, the news around Nedeljkovic’s recovery took a positive turn. Having been managed carefully through the early part of the week, the full-back returned to full training alongside his teammates in the final training sessions before Sunday’s derby, giving McInnes the evidence he needed to include him in his plans for the visit of Celtic. That return contrasts with the situation facing fellow full-back Tuur Rommens, whose own recovery from a separate groin issue has progressed more slowly, with the Belgian defender continuing to work outside the main group and considered a more doubtful, longer-term situation.
With Rommens still working his way back to full training and unlikely to be involved this weekend, Nedeljkovic’s recovery takes on even greater significance for Rangers. Having started the majority of Rangers’ matches in the position since his arrival, his return to fitness offers McInnes a like-for-like solution at right-back, rather than having to shift another player out of position or turn to a less experienced alternative for a fixture as significant as an Old Firm derby
Since joining Rangers on loan from Aston Villa over the summer, Nedeljkovic has quickly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet under McInnes. According to those close to the Rangers set-up, the same back four, featuring Nedeljkovic at right-back alongside Emmanuel Fernandez, Olwethu Makhanya and James Penrice, had started three of Rangers’ previous four matches, with his own fitness issue representing the only alteration to that settled defensive unit during the recent run of good form. That consistency underlines just how quickly he has become an integral part of the side’s defensive structure since arriving in Glasgow.
Nedeljkovic’s attributes as a young, athletic full-back with real enthusiasm for driving forward from deep have been praised repeatedly by Rangers’ coaching staff since his arrival. He offers McInnes a blend of pace, energy and attacking intent down the right flank, qualities that are likely to be particularly valuable against a Celtic side capable of pressing high and creating turnovers in wide areas. His return also allows Rangers to maintain the defensive continuity that has underpinned their recent run of four straight victories, a run built in no small part on a settled, increasingly assured back four.
Nedeljkovic’s return to training comes against the backdrop of a lengthy list of absentees for Rangers heading into the derby. Captain Lawrence Shankland remains sidelined by a serious hamstring tear that could keep him out for up to four months, while striker Youssef Chermiti continues his recovery from ACL surgery that is expected to rule him out for the majority of the season. Winger Daisuke Yokota has also undergone surgery on a groin injury and is not expected to be available again until at least November, while midfielder Jose Cifuentes remains out of favour and unavailable for selection. Rommens, as noted, continues to work his way back from his own fitness issue separately from the group.
Given the scale of that absentee list, Nedeljkovic’s return to full training and subsequent inclusion in contention for Sunday’s derby takes on outsized importance. Rather than adding an eleventh name to an already lengthy injury list, Rangers instead welcome back a key defensive player at exactly the right moment, offering McInnes at least one fewer selection headache to contend with as he finalises his plans for the biggest match of the season so far.
Throughout the build-up to the derby, McInnes has been keen to stress the importance of careful man-management given the volume of injury concerns his squad has faced in the opening weeks of the season. His comments regarding Nedeljkovic’s recovery reflected a broader theme in how the Rangers boss has approached fitness issues since taking permanent charge: prioritising thorough assessment and appropriate caution over rushing players back into contention purely out of necessity.
That approach appears to be paying dividends. Having lost key personnel to longer-term issues such as Shankland’s hamstring tear and Chermiti’s ACL rupture, McInnes has nonetheless overseen a marked upturn in form, with Rangers putting together a run of four consecutive wins heading into the derby, keeping the concession column tight even as the goals have come by relatively narrow margins. Nedeljkovic’s swift and full recovery from his foot knock fits into that broader pattern of the club managing its fitness issues effectively even amid a challenging early-season injury toll.
With Nedeljkovic back in full training and available for selection, McInnes now has the option of naming his most settled and in-form defensive unit for Sunday’s derby, retaining the continuity that has served the side well over recent weeks. That stability at the back could prove particularly important given the quality of the Celtic front line he will be tasked with facing, with Martin O’Neill’s side having scored freely throughout their unbeaten domestic campaign so far this season.
For Nedeljkovic personally, overcoming the injury scare in time to feature in his first Old Firm derby represents a significant moment in his fledgling Rangers career. Having already impressed sufficiently to become first choice in his position since his summer move from Aston Villa, the opportunity to test himself in one of the fixtures that defines a season at Ibrox will offer a clear marker of how far his development has come in a short space of time, and how central a figure he is likely to remain in McInnes’s plans as the campaign progresses.
Nedeljkovic’s return also arrives at a moment of broader turbulence around Ibrox, with the club having confirmed the departure of technical director Dan Purdy just days before the derby, adding to the sense of a club navigating challenges both on and off the pitch simultaneously. Against that backdrop, positive news on the injury front, however incremental, offers a welcome boost for a club and a manager working hard to build momentum and stability heading into one of the most closely watched fixtures of the Scottish football calendar.
Whether Nedeljkovic’s return proves decisive in the context of Sunday’s result remains to be seen, but his recovery in time for the derby at the very least removes one significant selection doubt from McInnes’s list of concerns, allowing the Rangers boss to focus his remaining preparation on the attacking reshuffle necessitated by the continued absences of Shankland, Chermiti and Yokota. For a Rangers side that has found some much-needed rhythm over the past month, keeping faith with a defensive unit that has served them well, now with Nedeljkovic restored to full fitness, offers a sensible foundation on which to build a positive result against their fiercest rivals.
Beyond Sunday’s derby, Nedeljkovic’s swift recovery also bodes well for Rangers’ ability to maintain defensive consistency across a congested fixture schedule that includes a follow-up league meeting with Celtic just a week later at Celtic Park. With Rommens still working his way back to full training separately from the squad, Nedeljkovic’s continued fitness and form at right-back is likely to remain important for Rangers over the coming weeks, particularly given the physical and tactical demands that fixtures against Celtic tend to place on full-backs from both sides.
For now, though, all eyes are on Sunday’s quarter-final, where Nedeljkovic’s return to full training and inclusion in contention to start represents one of the more encouraging pieces of team news to emerge from Ibrox in a week otherwise dominated by discussion of long-term injuries and off-field upheaval. Should he take his place in the starting eleven as expected, it will mark his first taste of the fixture that means more than any other to Rangers supporters, and an important early test of his ability to perform under the unique pressure that comes with representing the club in an Old Firm derby.
