Clinton Nsiala is set to leave Rangers on loan, with a move to Belgian side KVC Westerlo agreed in principle ahead of the transfer deadline.
The temporary deal will run until the end of the season and is understood to include an option to buy for a fee in the region of £1 million. The switch will also see Nsiala reunited with former Rangers coach Issame Charai, a factor believed to have played a key role in progressing the move.
Nsiala’s time at Ibrox has been turbulent. After arriving from AC Milan last summer, expectations were that he would develop into a first-team option in central defence akin to former Gers success story Calvin Bassey – but appearances were slim during his first year in Scotland with Phillipe Clement and Barry Ferguson each preferring other options.
Instead, he found himself on the margins early in his second campaign under former manager Russell Martin, at one stage even training alone as he was effectively frozen out of the matchday picture.
The arrival of Danny Rohl offered a route back into the fold, and Nsiala was reintroduced into first-team training and consideration.
However, he has not been able to establish himself as a regular in Rohl’s plans. He currently sits behind Emmanuel Fernandez, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, and Nasser Djiga in the centre-back pecking order.
At times, even captain James Tavernier has been deployed as an emergency option in the middle ahead of the Frenchman, underlining how difficult his path to minutes has become.
The Westerlo move offers Nsiala the chance of consistent football and a fresh environment, while giving Rangers the possibility of recouping a fee if the option is exercised.
It is also a notable shift in stance from the player, who turned down a proposed loan to Dynamo Kyiv in the summer. The presence of Charai, a coach familiar with his profile and development needs, appears to have made Belgium a more attractive destination.
Rangers, for their part, would ideally like to add another central defender before the window shuts.
However, with resources and attention focused on attacking areas and midfield reinforcements, deals which themselves look increasingly difficult to complete in the remaining hours, a defensive addition appears unlikely at this stage.
For Nsiala, this loan may determine whether his Ibrox chapter truly continues or effectively ends before it ever fully began. Regular minutes in Belgium could revive his trajectory; without them, Rangers decision to sanction a move with a purchase option suggests they are already planning for a future that may not include him.