Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed the future of Nnamdi Ofoborh at Rangers remains unclear as the Ibrox boss admitted he feels “really bad” for the player whose career has been put on hold due to a heart issue.
The 22-year-old hasn’t featured for the club after signing a four-year deal along with former Bournemouth team-mate Jack Simpson in the transfer window at the start of 2021. Simpson moved to Rangers immediately but Ofoborh remained out on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, where he was at the time from the Cherries, before arriving last summer.
However, former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard revealed at the start of last season that a medical examination had detected a heart issue which meant he wouldn’t be seen in the “short term” but the player didn’t feature at all last season. And now van Bronckhorst isn’t sure when he will feature, admitting he only appears at the training ground “once in a while”.
Ofoborh has been pictured on the pitch at the end of matches but, speaking to The Rangers Review, Van Bronckhorst said: “I haven’t welcomed him on the pitch and neither did Steven. He’s a player of course who had some problems - still has problems - and it’s a situation we have to be very careful about to make sure we make the right decisions for his health first.
“That process is still going. I don’t know what will happen in the future but for me the most important thing is health. He comes to the training ground once in a while and he’s still one of the boys. If you see him he’s very good with the boys and very energetic and happy. I feel really bad for him that he can’t be on the pitch but the most important thing is the health.”
Gerrard told Rangers TV 12 months ago: "I don't think you'll see him in the short term. Unfortunately something has flagged up with his ECG, which is the heart test.
"We've got top medical people here at the club now and we check all the players thoroughly from head to toe when they arrive. Unfortunately there's been a bit of a red flag with a heart issue so he's going to see some specialists in the coming weeks and we need to do more tests before we move forward.”
The player was optimistic at the turn of the year that the future was brighter. He wrote on social media: “This year has easily been the toughest year of my life. “Many doctors said I’m lucky to be here but I don’t believe in luck but the blessings from God. I owe it all to God for aiding me on this comeback trail. I will be back.”
READ NEXT
