Alex Lowry's injury recovery is progressing well but the midfielder is still not close to being back on the training pitch, according to Rangers B boss David McCallum.
The Uddingston teen has been sidelined since a horror tackle by Dumbarton's Ally Love last month saw him stretchered off the field in the final moments of the B team's 7-0 thrashing of Sons in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
It was feared the 19-year-old first-team squad member would be facing a number of months out of action, but his injury is not as bad as first feared.
Instead of months out, he is now expected to be sidelined for six weeks.
McCallum, speaking ahead of Rangers under-19s' UEFA Youth League match with Napoli on Wednesday, said of Lowry: "He is progressing well.
"He is obviously not back on the football pitch yet and not back in contention for any game time at the moment.
"But any time I have seen him or had conversations about him, it seems to be quite positive just now.
"I think when he got the initial feedback that the injury wasn’t going to be as long-term as what we initially thought, I think naturally Alex felt a bit better about that because he could see a bit of brightness ahead.
"But in terms of that, I don’t have any more on that that I am able to share just now."
It was a tough break for Lowry who rose to prominence last season with some impressive displays for Gio van Bronckhorst's Light Blues in league and Scottish Cup matches.
He was involved in the squad as they embarked on their journey to the UEFA Europa League final in Seville and signed a contract extension in May, which will keep him at the club until 2025.
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