There's something slightly curious about the current state of Kemar Roofe's reputation as a Rangers player.

There seems a general acceptance amongst fans that his time is up, yet there's also absolutely zero doubt he's a striker of sufficient quality to make an impact. 

You can see why.

From a memorable double against Celtic to a predatory extra-time winner in a Europa League quarter-final against Braga - when he's been on the pitch, he's mostly delivered.

And it's not just the numbers, 34 goals in 72 appearances if you're asking, but the manner of his finishes.

Who could forget his stunning lob against Standard Liege, his top-bin curler against Benfica or the razor-sharp ingenuity of his chested finish in the final Old Firm game of the 55 season. This is a guy with bona fide quality. 

And it's not just finishing. He's also strong enough not to get bullied and bursting with guile. His movement is clever and he can play in any of the front four positions, 9,10,7 or 11. He's a very European player in style, with his ability to find pockets of space no matter where he's placed on the pitch. 

Here's the gut punch though - injuries. A whole glut of them. When you aren't able to remain injury free for long enough to show your class regularly, there's a clear problem.

The Jamaican international is once again out of action with an injury and will miss the start of the season.

There has been reported interest from League One side Derby but it's understood the Rams' pay structure in English football's third tier wouldn't come close to accommodating Roofe's significant salary. Sheffield Wednesday are also said to be sniffing about with manager Darren Moore refusing to be drawn on a move earlier today and the may be a more realistic alternative.

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There is a growing suspicion that such a move would be welcomed by Rangers as they look to secure players more likely to consistently stand up to the scrutiny posed by the Scottish game.

Between plastic pitches and the culture of physicality that's been allowed to flourish through a lax application of the rules by referees, there has to be an acceptance that Rangers is a challenging club for anyone with a history of issues.

Aaron Ramsey is another example of an injury-prone player who didn't miraculously get fitter on account of his arrival in Govan.

And yet Rangers as a club are doing everything they can to ensure elite standards of fitness are obtained. The Ibrox club were one of the first in the UK to sign up to the artificial intelligence software company Zone 7's potentially game-changing injury prediction system. They have an established sports science team and the training complex is one of the best in the UK.

The truth is, without the injuries, Kemar Roofe wouldn't be at Ibrox at all - he'd be in the Premier League, Italy or Spain. That's where his true ceiling probably rests.

The temptation to secure such a player on the basis of the incredible moments will always be there, especially in moments of strife when a roll of the dice is required.

With hindsight, you wonder of Ross Wilson might be more of a mind to adopt a 'thanks but no thanks' policy in the future.

The common refrain is often: "If we can just get him fit and firing..."

History tells us it rarely happens. 

This piece is an extract from today’s Rangers Insider newsletter, which is emailed out at 5pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Rangers Review team.

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