Rangers could be set for a significant squad headache in the new year with Kim Min-Su's first senior South Korea call-up opening the door to an Asian Cup absence.
The 20-year-old attacker was named in South Korea's latest squad less than 24 hours after playing his part in Rangers' emphatic 3-0 Old Firm victory over Celtic.
His international recognition is a major boost for the youngster, but it could come with a cost for Derek McInnes.
The 2027 Asian Cup is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 until February 5, meaning Rangers could potentially lose Min-Su during a crucial period of the Premiership campaign if he is selected for the tournament.
Fixtures Kim Min-Su could miss
And the Ibrox side's fixture list shows just how disruptive his absence could become.
Rangers are scheduled to face Celtic at Ibrox on January 3, before travelling to Dundee United on January 9.
They then host St Johnstone on January 23, travel to Aberdeen on January 30 and welcome Kilmarnock to Ibrox on February 2.
That means a deep run for South Korea could see Min-Su miss a sizeable chunk of Rangers' January programme.
The midfielder is not guaranteed to make the final Asian Cup squad yet, but his inclusion in the latest 30-man group is an important first step.
South Korea boss prioritises 'current form'
South Korea interim boss Miguel Moreno has made it clear that current form is a key factor behind his selections.
"Players' current form is more important than what they did in the past," the Spanish boss said.
That statement will be particularly encouraging for Min-Su, who has broken into the Rangers picture and impressed during the opening stages of the campaign.
The timing of his call-up could hardly be more striking. Less than a day after Rangers' demolition of Celtic, Min-Su was named among several first-time senior internationals selected by Moreno.
South Korea will play four matches during the September and October international windows, against Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela and Uzbekistan, giving Min-Su his first opportunity to impress the new national team boss in a senior environment.
But the bigger question for Rangers is now whether he can force his way into South Korea's plans for January.
McInnes could be set for Min-Su absence
If he does, McInnes could face the prospect of being without one of his top advanced options for the majority of a potentially crucial run of fixtures.
The January 3 Old Firm clash is particularly noteworthy given that it falls immediately before the start of the Asian Cup.
Should Min-Su be selected and South Korea progress deep into the competition, his absence could stretch well beyond the opening weeks of the tournament and into Rangers' February fixtures.
However, for the moment, the call-up represents another significant milestone in the summer signing from Girona’s rapid development.
Rangers will simply hope his international breakthrough does not come at too heavy a cost to their own campaign.
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