RANGERS could face another club v. country battle next season after the African Cup of Nations was switched from the summer to another January tournament.
Ibrox ace Joe Aribo starred for Nigeria at AFCON last season in Cameroon and although Calvin Bassey was surprisingly snubbed by the Super Eagles for the tournament, he's now one of their key players following an outstanding season for Europa League runners-up Rangers.
The next tournament in Ivory Coast was finally set to be switched from their usual mid-season slot until the summer of next year because of continued complaints from top European clubs at losing their players for a chunk of the campaign.
However, the Confederation of African Football have now delayed it until January 2024 because June is the height of the rainy season in Ivory Coast.
The association's president, Patrice Motsepe, said: "We cannot take the risk.
"January is not the ideal time because of the European clubs, but it is the only choice we have
"The choice had been made out of courtesy with our Ivorian organisers."
Aribo's stint at the African Cup of Nations was part of his marathon 70-game season for club and country.
He was one of three-Scottish based players at last season's tournament, along with Hamilton's David Moyo for Zimbabwe and Alloa defender Fernandy Mendy who was called up for Guinea-Bissau.
