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“He’s been amazing, McCausland says of his fellow youngster. “Just even the past few games watching him. Us on the bench were saying he was like [Liverpool captain Virgil] Van Dijk”- Rangers ace blown away by ‘amazing’ teammate who plays like £75m Champions League winner left-footed Van Dijk
Upon his arrival at Rangers last summer, Clinton Nsiala quickly drew comparisons to a former player who had left Glasgow for £20 million. Both Nsiala and the player he’s been compared to are natural left-footers, known for their technical ability to break lines and launch attacks. Physically imposing yet graceful with the ball at their feet, both players were signed for a fraction of their potential value, with the hope that they will eventually bring in a substantial profit for the club.
While Nsiala does have qualities reminiscent of Calvin Bassey, Rangers’ 2022/23 Europa League finalist isn’t the only defender the 21-year-old from AC Milan has been compared to. Nsiala delivered another stellar performance as Rangers triumphed 3-0 over Aberdeen on Wednesday night.
In just his third Premiership start—only six days after making his debut at Dundee—Nsiala not only helped secure a clean sheet, but also assisted Leon Balogun’s last-minute header. His ball-playing skills were on full display, delivering one of the most impressive performances from a central defender at Ibrox in recent memory, boasting a 91 percent pass completion rate and executing some brilliant switches of play, reminiscent of a certain Dutch giant.
Rangers’ Ross McCausland, watching from the bench, couldn’t believe his eyes, noting that Nsiala was performing like a left-footed version of Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
“He’s been amazing,” McCausland said. “We were all talking on the bench and saying he’s like Van Dijk, a left-footed Van Dijk.”
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has taken a positive outlook on the defensive injury crisis, seeing it as an opportunity for fringe players and youngsters to step up. Clement has praised Nsiala’s work ethic and performances, including his transformation into a key player in recent weeks.
“I’m really proud of Clinton,” Clement said. “He’s been putting in a lot of work with the B team and in training. For someone so new to senior football, especially in Scotland, his progress has been outstanding.”
With several key defenders still sidelined, Nsiala continues to impress, and with another potential start against Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup, he’s set to build on his promising form.
Balogun, who scored the match-winning header against Aberdeen, also praised his young teammate: “Clinton has done tremendously well. He was really, really good today. Hats off to the boy.”
