Turkey have released a statement stating that Rangers full-back Ridvan Yilmaz has been sent home from international duty.
Ridvan received a thigh injury during Turkey’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Hungary at Puskas Arena in Budapest on Friday (23 March).
Manager Vincenzo Montella indicated he would wait to make a decision on the defender, and it has now been confirmed he has been sent back to Rangers.
A statement on the Turkish Football Federation’s website [23 March] read: “A mandatory change has been made in the candidate squad of our National Team, which will face Austria in a special match on Tuesday, March 26th.
“Our defender Rıdvan Yılmaz was removed from the candidate squad due to the injury he suffered in his upper left thigh muscle in the match against Hungary yesterday.”
Ridvan Yilmaz uncertain for Rangers v Celtic
The initial concern when Ridvan limped off the field against Hungary was whether he would be fit for the impending Old Firm clash.
That encounter might well settle the Scottish Premiership championship fight and the Gers will consequently want every senior player available.
The Scottish Sun reported earlier on Saturday (23 March), prior to this declaration, that the full-back was deemed a “major doubt”.
It is now left to the Rangers medical staff to analyse Ridvan and determine what course of therapy is needed to get him back up to speed as soon as feasible.
Ridvan has really stepped up the level of his performances since around the start of the January transfer window, at which point he was linked with a move away from Ibrox.
Having been a regular at left-back, Philippe Clement will of course be anxious to have him available for the Celtic confrontation on 7 April.
All Rangers can do at this time is await Ridvan to return to Glasgow and undertake tests, before a further update is then released.
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