BEVERLY HILLS, April 11, (THEWILL) – Fresh from inking a new deal that extended his contract with Glasgow-based Scottish champions Rangers FC as reported by THEWILL, Nigerian defender Leon Balogun has become unfortunately sidelined by injury. Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard, made this known when he revealed that the 32-year-old centre back picked up a calf/achilles injury and will be out for a few weeks as a result.
The incident occurred during a training session on Saturday and the defender left the Ibrox training grounds in a limp. His injury will not be as concerning at the moment as the season is only four games from wrapping up and Rangers have already clinched the title.
Relaying the news of Balogun’s injury to Rangers TV, Gerrard said tongue-in-cheek: “I think he must have got too much of a pay rise because it seems to be weighing him down.”
He continued, in a more serious note: “He got injured yesterday in training unfortunately. We will scan him over the next couple of days. It sounds like he has a calf/achilles injury that we will need to check out. Unfortunately he could be missing for a few weeks, which is disappointing because he has been very consistent for us. We are delighted to have him for another year.”
A reliable force of the Super Eagles backline, who ensured Nigeria played out the remainder of her qualifying series without conceding a goal, Balogun had been an integral part of Gerrard’s side this season. His defensive attributes contributed to seeing Rangers clinch their 55th top flight title as well as reach the last 16 of the Europa League before they were knocked out by Slavia Prague.
However, because of COVID-19 restrictions, Balogun has not experienced the thrill of playing before the Rangers’ supporters in Scottish football. It is one aspect of life at Glasgow that he is determined to sample after triggering a clause in his deal that earned him another year with the champions.
In his comments that followed putting pen to paper for the new deal which Gerrard humorously said was weighing him down, the Nigerian said: “Today is a very happy day and a very proud day announcing my contract has been extended for another year.
“I am proud to be a part of this amazing club and I felt that pretty early on I had fallen in love with the club and the working environment, the way the players and the management staff work and the way the club is a big family, I am happy and proud that I can call myself a Rangers player.
“I am happy to be a part of the team that won the league, but what we have been saying recently is we are just getting started and I am happy that I can be a part of this.
“I am very, very happy and proud that this can now be announced. One thing too, I was never going to leave before witnessing a full Ibrox Stadium, and if everyone was happy, I was going to stay.”
Meanwhile, Rangers remain on course to end the season unbeaten. On Sunday, the second member of the Super Eagles squad playing for Rangers, Joe Aribo, scored to help Gerrard’s side earn a 2-1 victory over Hibernian at their Ibrox Stadium. The victory also made it seventeen home games and seventeen wins at home. They only need to hang on for the few matches left. Unfortunately, Balogun will not feature for now.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
