Joey Barton is to begin training with Rangers’ under-20 squad after the club concluded its disciplinary procedure against the midfielder.
It is almost certain that the Englishman will not play for Rangers again, with a move in January the most likely outcome. The 34-year-old was suspended after a training ground row in mid-September, then returned to Ibrox for a hearing with club officials last week. That impasse moved on slightly with Rangers’ statement on Wednesday, which referred only to the club’s training ground rather than to the first-team scene.
It read: “Joey Barton has been told he will return to full-time training following the conclusion of a disciplinary procedure. The Auchenhowie management team will inform the player of appropriate training arrangements to which he must adhere for as long as he remains a Rangers player.”
Fifa regulations assert that training facilities have to be made available by clubs to contracted players.
Barton signed a two-year contract at Rangers last summer, worth in the region of £20,000 per week. Understandably, for financial reasons, there has been no appetite at the club to pay off the remainder of that deal. Barton’s last game was the 5-1 defeat to Celtic on 10 September.
Last month, the Burnley manger, Sean Dyche, suggested there may be a route back to the club for Barton.
Barton will be subject to a disciplinary hearing by the Scottish FA on 17 November after being charged with placing 44 bets on matches.
Meanwhile Warburton has been dealt an injury blow with confirmation that another of his marquee pre-season signings, Niko Kranjcar, will be out of action for six months. The Croatian midfielder damaged knee ligaments in training.
