Rangers have confirmed a change to their UEFA Europa League squad ahead of Thursday night’s meeting with Portuguese side Braga at Ibrox, with Dujon Sterling replacing the injured Derek Cornelius.
The Canadian defender, on loan from Marseille with an option to buy, suffered an injury while on international duty, and new Head Coach Danny Röhl later revealed he has undergone surgery that will keep him out until at least the end of January.
The club described Sterling as “working his way back to full fitness following a lengthy injury lay-off,” with the defender stepping in for Cornelius as Rangers look to get off the mark in a group that also includes Ferencváros, Ludogorets and Porto.
Sterling has been absent since April, when he damaged his Achilles tendon in last season’s Europa League quarter-final second leg defeat to Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox.
In October, his agent Mark Gottlieb shared a detailed update on LinkedIn, describing the injury as a “freak accident” that came at a moment when the 26-year-old had been performing superbly on the right side of a back three.
Gottlieb called it a “huge disappointment for Rangers and its fans” and a “massive mental blow” for the player but praised both the club’s medical department and Sterling himself for their roles in an intensive recovery programme.
He said Sterling is now “very close to joining the squad again,” emphasising the defender’s resilience, professionalism and what he called a “winner’s mentality,” forged through months of physical and psychological challenge.
Sterling has already returned to the pitch with an hour-long run-out for the Rangers Under-19s, though he looked understandably short of sharpness and conceded a penalty during the match.
His return could be particularly significant given Rangers current left-back shortage following the summer departures of Jefte, Robbie Fraser and Ridvan Yilmaz, leaving only 19-year-old Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma as a recognised senior option.
Sterling’s versatility across both flanks, and his ability to invert into midfield, makes him a potentially valuable asset.
Röhl also provided a wider injury update, confirming that John Souttar remains out, Mikey Moore is making progress but needs more time, and Joe Rothwell has a minor knee problem that is not expected to keep him sidelined for long.
Several players who could have been registered for Europe, Nedim Bajrami, Clinton Nsiala, Rabbi Matondo and Kieran Dowell, remain left out, while Leon King remains listed despite being on a non-cooperation loan at Ayr United.
Rangers will hope that Sterling’s steady return, coupled with any momentum gained from a strong performance against Braga, can help stabilise what has been an uneven period for the squad.
His reintroduction arrives at a time when the team needs both reinforcements and resilience ahead of a packed winter schedule.