Stuart McCall: 'Rangers wrong to sign Gael Bigirimana'

By Sian Cowper, Reporter | 27 March 2015

Rangers manager Stuart McCall admits that the club were wrong to sign Gael Bigirimana on loan from Newcastle United without making him undergo a medical.

Stuart McCall has said that Rangers were wrong to sign Gael Bigirimana on loan from Newcastle United without putting the player through a medical.

The Burundi-born England Under-20 international was one of five players to move from the Magpies to the Ibrox side in January's transfer window, but he has been unable to play for the Scottish Championship side because of an undisclosed illness, which he knew about before making the move.

"Bigi has got a medical condition which is a personal matter. The doctor and consultant are all involved in that. Unfortunately because of his medical condition he won't be able to play for us," ESPN quotes the manager as saying.

"So as disappointed as we are that we can't use him, you have to think of the boy in this matter because he can't go back, he can't play for anyone else. It's an unfortunate circumstance that really should never have happened.

"Should these guys ever have been sent here? Well, with Bigi being unable to play that's a no-brainer. With Shane [Ferguson], he was on his way back but had a little setback. But I think if you look at it in all honesty, anybody who comes up for a six-month loan should have a medical, obviously that is not the case."

Bigirimana came through Coventry City's youth system before signing for Newcastle in 2012.