Dujon Sterling tipped for major Rangers run-in role as Alex Neil details star's qualities and reveals his 'perfect' position

Philippe Clement is convinced Dujon Sterling can play anywhere he likes for Rangers.

But if Alex Neil had got his way, he wouldn’t be at Ibrox at all. The former Chelsea youngster joined Gers on a free transfer and has quickly emerged as a fans’ favourite down Edmiston Drive. And his new boss has most definitely been won over too by the 24-year-old’s ability to plug holes in a team that’s been repeatedly hollowed out by injury misfortune. So far, Sterling has found himself filling in right across the Light Blues’ backline as well as a number of midfield slots both central and wide.

Clement even joked last month he’s willing to try the ex-England youth cap between the sticks in the unlikely event that keeper Jack Butland drops his standards. Neil, though, is deadly serious when he admits he was gutted to miss out on signing the utility ace permanently last summer. The former Hamilton gaffer was the man who recruited Sterling on loan for his old side Stoke at the start of last season and hoped to convince Sterling to stay put with the Potters when his Stamford Bridge deal expired.

“We wanted to sign him ourselves,” Neil revealed to Record Sport. “We tried before he went to Rangers but the lure of European football and the opportunity to win prizes was a lot for him. I took him to Stoke last year and he was excellent for us. Physically he’s top notch and defensively too he’s probably one of the best I’ve had.

“I’m surprised he’s been playing midfield a lot for Rangers though. I think he did that when he was a kid but we predominantly used him as a right back or at left-back. We even used him at centre-back because he’s quick and powerful. But I’m not surprised to see that he’s broken his way into the Rangers team because I