Rangers midfielder Niko Kranjcar ruled out for six months

Rangers midfielder Niko Kranjcar has been ruled out for six months with a cruciate ligament injury.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury on the training ground a fortnight ago and had his worst fears confirmed following a meeting with a top consultant in London.

The Croat, who joined Rangers from New York Cosmos in the summer, had begun his debut season in Scotland slowly but was beginning to find his feet and the news is a big blow to boss Mark Warburton.

Both of Warburton's big-name summer signings are now out of action, with Joey Barton currently suspended following a training ground bust-up with fellow midfielder Andy Halliday in the wake of Rangers' 5-1 defeat by Celtic in September.

Warburton said: "Niko has unfortunately suffered an ACL injury. He's currently having it reconstructed by one of the best surgeons down in London.

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"It will be a six-month rehabilitation period for Niko. Everyone in the building is so disappointed for him as they know how hard he works.

"We might now look for a loan option in January. We need to have strength and depth and we'll see how the squad is shaping up come then." 

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Former Portsmouth and Tottenham midfielder Kranjcar, who scored his only league goal for the Gers in a 2-0 win over Partick Thistle last month, has been capped 81 times by his country.