Once a mere speck in the pond of European football, Clinton Nsiala-Makengo - otherwise known as Nsiala - was born on a bitter January evening in 2004 in some quaint French locale. Blessed or cursed, depending on one's perspective, with the considerable bulk of 87kg (or 13st 9lbs in the more civilised measure), he stands at an imposing 1.88m (or 6ft 2in for those of us who prefer a ruler). This lad slashes through the grass in the number 19 jersey, mainly contributing to his somewhat thankless role as a central defender - a position not noted for its glamour.
The lad's journey through the game's elite has been a specimen of globetrotting par excellence. His worthy yet unremarkable stint at Nantes in France was whittled away until July 2021, when he fled the coop for the sunny climes of AC Milan in Italy's Serie A. A transfer that Transfermarkt was particularly keen to document.
In an odd twist of the fickle hand of fate, he was then shipped off to the Scottish shores in July 2024 and took up the mantle for the Rangers in the Premiership. Now, football allegiance is a fickle beast, but as a Celtic-focused commentator, one must note this move with a hint of puzzled intrigue.
Our young Frenchman had his tryst with the Scottish Cup in 2024 - 2025, scoring a solitary goal in a single start - a stat that will hardly send the poets scribbling. His foray into the Europa League 2024 - 2025 for Rangers was similarly uninspiring with a single appearance - and not even as a starter, mind you. I suppose we must all begin somewhere, but one must hope this isn't the acme of young Nsiala's aspirations.
