NafisaRangers could still see Clinton Nsiala leave Ibrox despite the Scottish transfer window closing, with the unwanted defender potentially handed an escape route in the coming days.
The Frenchman has found himself on the fringes of the first-team picture for some time, and the arrival of another manager has done little to change his situation.
Nsiala joined Rangers in 2024 with hopes of establishing himself at senior level after leaving AC Milan, but his progress at Ibrox has been far slower than expected. The centre-back has made 17 appearances for the club, yet regular football has remained difficult to come by.
His situation became particularly frustrating last season when Danny Rohl barely used him, with the defender featuring just four times under the German coach.
A change in the dugout has not brought the turnaround Nsiala would have wanted either.
Derek McInnes has continued to leave the 22-year-old out of his plans, with Nsiala yet to make a single appearance since the Scottish manager took charge.
That has left the defender facing an uncertain future at Ibrox, although there could still be a way out despite Rangers no longer being able to complete domestic transfers in Scotland.
Who wants to sign Rangers flop Clinton Nsiala?
Nsiala is understood to have been given permission to leave the Light Blues, and that could now open the door to a late move abroad.
An update from the Daily Record on 3 September cited reports in France claiming Cypriot side Pafos FC have identified the Rangers defender as a potential target.
The timing could work in Nsiala’s favour.
While the Scottish transfer window has closed, the Cypriot market remains open until 9 September. That gives the Frenchman several more days to find a club willing to take him on and complete the necessary formalities.
Pafos would also represent an intriguing destination for a player who has struggled to establish himself at Ibrox.
The Cypriot outfit are competing in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season, meaning Nsiala could potentially find himself playing European football while attempting to revive a career that has stalled in Glasgow.
That opportunity could prove particularly appealing after such a difficult spell with Rangers.
Who are Pafos FC and what kind of opportunity does Nsiala have?
Pafos have enjoyed a remarkable rise through Cypriot football in recent years.
The club was founded in 2014 following the merger of AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia, but it has quickly transformed itself into one of the leading sides in the country.
Pafos won the Cypriot First Division for the first time in the 2024-25 season and have also lifted the Cypriot Cup in the 2023-24 and 2025-26 campaigns.
Their recent European adventure has also given them considerable exposure.
Last season, Pafos competed in the Champions League and produced one of the biggest results in their history by beating Spanish side Villarreal 1-0. They also faced Chelsea, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to the English giants.
For Nsiala, a move to Pafos could therefore offer considerably more than simply an opportunity to get away from Rangers.
It could provide regular football, European competition and the chance to rebuild his reputation after failing to nail down a place in the Rangers squad.
From the Ibrox perspective, an exit would also make sense.
The Bears have plenty of defensive options ahead of Nsiala in the pecking order, while allowing the player to move somewhere he has a realistic chance of playing regularly would potentially benefit everyone involved.
Nsiala’s time at Rangers has clearly not developed as either the player or the club would have hoped when he arrived in 2024.
He still has plenty of his career ahead of him at just 22, but another season watching from the sidelines would do little to help his development.
Pafos could offer a fresh start at exactly the right moment.
There is still time for the move to materialise before the Cypriot deadline on 9 September, but an official offer would need to arrive before Rangers can finally close the chapter on Nsiala’s difficult spell at Ibrox.
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