Philippe Clement said Rangers faced a “crazy situation” as they prepared to travel to Dundee still unsure whether Wednesday night’s game would go ahead.

The cinch Premiership clash at the Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park was rescheduled after it was contentiously called off 90 minutes before kick-off last month.

Dundee’s home game against Motherwell on Saturday was allowed to take place after a second pitch inspection, with the Fir Park club stating before their 3-2 comeback win they were “deeply concerned for the welfare of all players”.

Dundee managing director John Nelms told Sky Sports he was as “confident as we can be” the Rangers game would go ahead but pointed to April 16 or 17 as a contingency plan.

Gers boss Clement, whose side will leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table with a win, would prefer an early decision and said he was comfortable with the game being switched to a neutral ground to get it played before the split, saying: “In these circumstances it can be a logical choice.”

“It is a crazy situation in a top league that you don’t know the day before if the game is on or not,” said the Belgian, who confirmed Ridvan Yilmaz remained out with a knock and midfielder Ryan Jack had had a setback with a calf problem that could end his season.

“So that is a really weird situation. Okay, it can happen in extreme circumstances, but I don’t think it has happened in the last few years in all the top leagues.

“But now there is a problem every time it is raining in Scotland and it’s not that there are normally a lot of sunny days in Scotland.

“It is a bad situation for the league and for Dundee themselves, I don’t think they are happy with the situation.

“I haven’t seen the pitch, but it was clear when we were there the last time that it was dangerous for both sides and it was not playable, but I am not the one who decides, it is the referee who decides.

“I want a decision today because you want to prepare, but both clubs and the league are in talks about that.

“If it is not possible you want to see what the alternative is. We don’t have much time because there is a split in the league. These things give a bad image to the league and it needs to be solved.

“If you want to play in Dundee next week, what is going to happen if it rains next week? Strange for me because every time it rains there is a problem.”

As his squad got ready to travel to their hotel near Dundee on Tuesday afternoon, Clement asked for a decision to be made the day before the scheduled kick-off.

He said: “If we cannot play tomorrow, when are we going to play? Thursday?

“If it is Thursday I would like to know today so we can train tomorrow.

“If the decision is made tomorrow evening, we have one afternoon, evening in a hotel near to Dundee for nothing.

“I understand that games are cancelled in the last minutes, last hours in special weather circumstances, but this is something that is repeated every time it is raining so I think you can make an assessment today.”

Clement said there was a “big chance” long-term absentees Danilo and Oscar Cortes would not return before the end of the season.

Philippe Clement is unhappy at only being able to make three changes to his Europa League squad following a transfer window which left him “happy”.

The signing of Colombian winger Oscar Cortes on loan from Lens with an option to buy in the summer on deadline day was the third new recruit, following the arrival of Portuguese attacker Fabio Silva on loan from Wolves and Ivorian midfielder Mohamed Diomande on loan from Danish side Nordsjaelland.

Defenders Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun were left out of the Euro squad at the start of the season by then boss Michael Beale but have become key players under Clement.

Abdallah Sima, Kemar Roofe, Danilo and Kieran Dowell are long-term injured but could be fit for the latter stages of the Europa League if Rangers progress.
Ben Davies is out at the moment while Sam Lammers has joined Utrecht on loan and Jose Cifuentes could also be on his way out, the midfielder linked with a loan move to Brazilian club Cruzeiro.

Ahead of the cinch Premiership game against Livingston at Ibrox on Saturday – Rangers are five points behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand – Clement  revealed he had spoken to his players about the Euro squad for the last-16 ties in March.

The Belgian boss said: “I had discussions with the players about that this afternoon.

“I am not happy with the rule. But the rule is the rule of course for all the team and I also understand the idea behind it.

“I was not totally aligned with how the European list was at the beginning of the season but it was what it was and I can only make three changes now.

“So the reality is a few players I wanted on the list cannot be on the list.

“If you only have three position to change there is not much to think about but if you guys (media) think a bit logically, you will see the logic.”

Some Rangers fans expressed surprise that another striker to give competition to Cyriel Dessers was not brought in but Clement, who took over the Light Blues in October, explained his thinking.

He said: “I will never speak about what we wanted.

“Everyone in the building worked really hard and compared to a lot of other teams we did interesting things with the three guys we brought in.

“I am happy with the squad that is here now.

“About the striking position, everyone is saying that Cyriel has had a big evolution in the last three months, Fabio has already shown good things, he is still adapting, that is normal.

“Kemar is still in the building, I expect him to be fit this this season, we will see if Danilo is back or not at the end of the season, we will not risk him for two or three weeks but he will be in the building next season so we have to take those things into account.

“We also have Zak Lovelace also who has been out injured for three months and he has a bright future.

“So we could have six or seven strikers but you cannot put them all on so you have to take that into account.”

Celtic and Rangers both completed loan signings on a relatively quiet transfer deadline day in the cinch Premiership.

The champions confirmed the capture of Norwich striker Adam Idah while Rangers announced the signing of winger Oscar Cortes from French side Lens.

The 20-year-old Colombian joins on loan for the rest of the season with Rangers holding an option to buy him in the summer.

The Light Blues are reported to have rebuffed interest from Galatasaray in Ridvan Yilmaz after missing out on an immediate bid to sign left-back Jefte from Fluminense, with the Brazilian’s loan club APOEL Nicosia reportedly intent on keeping him until the end of the campaign.

Reports from Italy also claimed Hellas Verona were set to launch a bid to sign striker Cyriel Dessers but there was no movement.

Rangers full-back Adam Devine moved on loan to Motherwell.

The arrival of 22-year-old Republic of Ireland international Idah at Celtic Park followed the departure of Mikey Johnston on loan to West Brom.

Another winger, Marco Tilio, rejoined Melbourne City on loan on Wednesday and David Turnbull was set to follow the two wingers out of Celtic Park with Cardiff expecting to wrap up a permanent transfer for the midfielder.

Celtic’s only other January signing was German winger Nicolas Kuhn.

Kilmarnock confirmed the loan signing of Kevin van Veen after fending off competition from Motherwell and St Mirren for the Dutch striker.

Van Veen scored 29 goals for Motherwell last term but the Fir Park side missed out on taking him back after failing to match Killie and St Mirren’s financial input.

The 32-year-old scored five goals for Groningen earlier this season but lost his place in the team after a disagreement with the manager and was keen to return to Scotland to be with his family.

Hibernian signed two young centre-backs on loan, landing Nectarios Triantis from Sunderland and Owen Bevan from Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Dundee landed Norwich goalkeeper Jon McCracken on loan after a temporary spell was halted in August following the signing of Trevor Carson.

Midfielder David Carson joined Livingston on an 18-month deal from Inverness while St Johnstone announced the signing of striker Adama Sidibeh, 25, for an undisclosed fee from Northern Premier League club Warrington Rylands. Jay Turner-Cooke has ended his loan spell in Perth and returned to Newcastle.

Aberdeen are said to have failed in late efforts to sign a centre-back while Hearts completed their business ahead of deadline day.

Ross County signed former Grimsby right-back Michee Efete on a deal until the end of the season.

Outside of the top flight, Queen’s Park head coach Callum Davidson believes he has pulled off “a bit of a coup” by signing 32-year-old former Liverpool, Rangers and Scotland defender Danny Wilson from Colorado Rapids.

Lowland League side Albion Rovers sold striker Joe Bevan to Premier League Burnley for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old scored 15 goals for Rovers after joining from Camelon 12 months ago.

Rangers have announced the signing of Colombian winger Oscar Cortes from French side Lens.

The 20-year-old joins on loan for the rest of the season with Rangers holding an option to buy him in the summer.

The Light Blues are reported to have rebuffed interest from Galatasaray in Ridvan Yilmaz after missing out on an immediate bid to sign left-back Jefte from Fluminense, with the Brazilian’s loan club APOEL Nicosia reportedly intent on keeping him until the end of the campaign.

Reports from Italy also claimed Hellas Verona were set to launch a bid to sign striker Cyriel Dessers.

Mikey Johnston has left Celtic to join West Brom on loan as Brendan Rodgers trimmed his squad ahead of the deadline.

Marco Tilio rejoined Melbourne City on loan on Wednesday and David Turnbull was set to follow the two wingers out of Celtic Park with Cardiff expecting to wrap up a permanent transfer for the midfielder.

Celtic were still to announce the the loan signing of Norwich and Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah as the transfer window moved into its final hours after the 22-year-old arrived in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Kevin van Veen is on his way to Kilmarnock on a loan deal until the end of the season after the Ayrshire club fended off competition from Motherwell and St Mirren for the Dutch striker.

Van Veen scored 29 goals for Motherwell last term but the Fir Park side missed out on taking him back after failing to match Killie and St Mirren’s financial input.

The 32-year-old scored five goals for Groningen earlier this season but lost his place in the team after a disagreement with the manager and was keen to return to Scotland to be with his family.

Hibernian signed two young centre-backs on loan, landing Nectarios Triantis from Sunderland and Owen Bevan from Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Dundee landed Norwich goalkeeper Jon McCracken on loan after a temporary spell was halted in August following the signing of Trevor Carson.

Midfielder David Carson joined Livingston on an 18-month deal from Inverness while Motherwell sealed a loan deal for Rangers full-back Adam Devine.

St Johnstone announced the signing of striker Adama Sidibeh, 25, for an undisclosed fee from Northern Premier League club Warrington Rylands. Jay Turner-Cooke has ended his loan spell in Perth and returned to Newcastle.

Aberdeen are said to have failed in late efforts to sign a centre-back while Hearts completed their business ahead of deadline day.

Ross County signed former Grimsby right-back Michee Efete on a deal until the end of the season.

Outside of the top flight, Queen’s Park head coach Callum Davidson believes he has pulled off “a bit of a coup” by signing 32-year-old former Liverpool, Rangers and Scotland defender Danny Wilson from Colorado Rapids.

Lowland League side Albion Rovers sold striker Joe Bevan to Premier League Burnley for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old scored 15 goals for Rovers after joining from Camelon 12 months ago.

Mikey Johnston has left Celtic on loan to join West Brom as Brendan Rodgers trims his squad.

Marco Tilio rejoined Melbourne City on loan on Wednesday and David Turnbull was set to follow the two wingers out of Celtic Park with Cardiff expecting to wrap up a permanent transfer for the midfielder.

Celtic were still to announce the the loan signing of Norwich and Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah as the transfer window went into its final hours after the 22-year-old arrived in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Rangers are expected to complete the signing of 20-year-old Colombia winger Oscar Cortes on loan from Lens with an option to buy after he arrived in Glasgow.

The Light Blues look to have been thwarted in their bid to land Brazilian left-back Jefte from Fluminense, with loan club APOEL Nicosia reportedly intent on keeping him until the end of the campaign.

However, uncertainty remains over the future of Gers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz, with Galatasaray said to be preparing an offer.

Reports from Italy also claimed Hellas Verona were set to launch a bid to sign striker Cyriel Dessers.

Kevin van Veen is on his way to Kilmarnock after the Ayrshire club fended off competition from Motherwell and St Mirren for the Dutch striker.

Van Veen, scorer of 29 goals for Motherwell last season, has revealed he is joining Killie on loan until the end of the season.

Motherwell lost out on taking the player back after failing to match Killie and St Mirren’s financial input with the Rugby Park side set to pay the majority of his Groningen wages.

The 32-year-old scored five goals earlier this season but lost his place in the team after a disagreement with the manager and was keen to return to Scotland to be with his family.

Hibernian signed two 20-year-old centre-backs on loan, landing Nectarios Triantis from Sunderland and Owen Bevan from Bournemouth until the end of the season.

Dundee landed Norwich goalkeeper Jon McCracken on loan after a temporary spell was halted in August following the signing of Trevor Carson.

Midfielder David Carson joined Livingston on an 18-month deal from Inverness while Motherwell have sealed a loan deal for Rangers full-back Adam Devine and Ross County are set to announce a late transfer.

St Johnstone announced the signing of 25-year-old striker Adama Sidibeh for an undisclosed fee from Northern Premier League club Warrington Rylands. Jay Turner-Cooke has ended his loan spell in Perth and returned to Newcastle.

Aberdeen are said to have failed in late efforts to sign a centre-back while Hearts completed their business ahead of deadline day.

Outside of the top flight, Queen’s Park head coach Callum Davidson believes he has pulled off “a bit of a coup” by signing 32-year-old former Liverpool, Rangers and Scotland defender Danny Wilson from Colorado Rapids.

Lowland League side Albion Rovers sold striker Joe Bevan to Premier League Burnley for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old scored 15 goals for Rovers after joining from Camelon 12 months ago.

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