Athletic Club v Rangers FC - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg Nico Williams left winger of Athletic Club and Spaincelebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Athletic Club and Rangers FC at Estadio de San Mames on April 17, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao Spain Imago Images
McInnes has identified Djeidi Gassama as one of the few genuine bright spots in a Rangers side still searching for consistency this season.
The 22-year-old winger arrived from Sheffield Wednesday last summer and made an electric start, scoring four goals in his first four games at Ibrox.
That early promise was quickly overshadowed as Russell Martin’s appointment descended into a disastrous spell for the club, dragging performances and morale down with it.
Gassama managed just five more goals for the remainder of that difficult campaign, leaving supporters frustrated given the initial excitement his arrival had generated.
The early signs this term suggest the French-born Mauritania international has rediscovered the form that made him such an exciting prospect during that opening burst.
McInnes acknowledged the winger’s impact during the turbulent start to last season, stating: “Yeah, last season, watching from the outside, Rangers got off to a tough start but Gassama was probably a wee bit of a shining light in those opening games.”
However, the Rangers manager wants considerably more than the single goal and two assists Gassama has contributed so far this campaign.
McInnes pointed to a specific tactical dilemma surrounding his winger, describing the challenge that talented wide players consistently face when opponents target them with extra defensive attention.
“It’s a catch-22. I’ve had loads of wingers who are so confident that, even when people double up on them, they’re like, ‘That’s fine, I’ll deal with it’. But that’s really when they should be moving the ball and passing it, looking for better options,” McInnes explained.
The manager was equally clear that he does not want to tamper with the mental edge that makes Gassama dangerous, adding: “You don’t want to knock that confidence out of him but sometimes that final decision-making and last pass could be taken better care of.”
McInnes pointed to recent matches as examples where the final product let the team down at crucial moments in front of goal.
“I thought we could have taken care of that last pass both at Falkirk and particularly Aberdeen. There were also opportunities at the weekend where a good chance could become a brilliant chance, if you just lift your head a wee bit,” he said.
The balancing act of sharpening a player’s decision-making without undermining his instincts is a challenge McInnes appears determined to navigate carefully with Gassama.
“But I don’t want to, and certainly in Gass’s case, have him lose that desire to get among the goals and that belief and confidence, so it’s just a fine balance,” McInnes added.
The arrivals of Kim Minsu, Daisuke Yokota, and Badredine Bouanani have given McInnes greater attacking variety, potentially relieving some of the defensive focus opponents have directed toward Gassama.
Three consecutive wins have helped ease pressure on the squad following a damaging double European exit earlier in the season.
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