Kranjcar is out for the season
RANGERS’ worst fears over Niko Kranjcar have been confirmed — with the Croatian set to miss the rest of the season due to cruciate ligament damage. The 32-year-old midfielder was taken away on a stretcher on Tuesday after injuring his knee at training. Despite being immediately ruled out of tomorrow’s Betfred League Cup semi-final with Celtic, manager Mark Warburton had
hoped the damage was less severe than first feared. But Sportsmail understands medics have told the club the playmaker has damaged his cruciate ligaments and is likely to be out of action until the summer. The blow comes just as Kranjcar was beginning to show signs of finding his feet in Glasgow following his best displays in a Rangers shirt against Partick Thistle and Inverness Caley. He was heavily criticised for his ineffective performance in the 5-1 defeat to Celtic last month when he was subbed at halftime. He has made six appearances in the league. Kranjcar arrived at Ibrox in June after a spell at New York Cosmos. His absence, together with the ongoing exclusion of Joey Barton, means Warburton is now missing two of the experienced hands he felt would help his side challenge for the title this season. Barton remains suspended by the club following a bust-up with Andy Halliday and the manager, with the level of his pay-off the only barrier to all ties being cut.