Philippe Clement gives Abdallah Sima Rangers injury timeline as loan star undergoes successful surgery

Abdallah Sima will be ruled out of action for "between two and three months" Rangers manager Philippe Clement has confirmed.

The 22-year-old Senegal international, who has been a standout performer for the Ibrox side since arriving on a season-long loan from Brighton, was sent home from his national team's training camp at the African Cup of Nations with a thigh problem.

A statement released on Monday warned that Sima could face a "long period of unavailability" and Clement has confirmed this evening that the attacker has since undergone a successful operation on his injury.

Speaking to Rangers TV pre-match, Clement also revealed a timescale on his expected return date. The Belgian said: "Abdallah had his operation and the surgeon was really happy with the way it went. It was a good operation and everything went well.

"He will be out for between two and three months. He is positive and he's someone who is always working hard so we expect him to be back as fast as possible in a healthy way of course. We can count on him at the end of the season."

There had been speculation that Sima could potentially return to parent club Brighton to continue his recovery under the supervision of the Seagulls medical team, but editor of the Rangers Review Joshua Barrie has squashed those reports.

Barrie confirmed: "He'll be at Rangers because he's worked with Rangers' medical staff this whole season. They'll know all his data for the season, they'll know how he's been training. Sima's not worked with Brighton much at all, he's been on loan last season as well as the season before. It makes sense Rangers get him back to the club so he can get the best treatment that is going to help him because that's where he's been for the majority of the season."