Rangers: Jordan Jones & George Edmundson suspended for Covid-19 breach

Jordan Jones was expected to be involved in Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off squad next week

Rangers have suspended Jordan Jones and George Edmundson for "breaching Covid regulations", the club have confirmed.

A statement from the Ibrox side said winger Jones and defender Edmundson attended a private gathering on Sunday "with others outside their household".

The pair will now be investigated by the club and must isolate for 14 days.

"We are completely aligned in our action and the standards that are being set at Rangers," said managing director Stewart Robertson.

"We will not tolerate behaviour that does not follow those standards and it is totally unacceptable for any of our players to be involved in anything that puts at risk the excellent protocols that have been put in place at Rangers."

Jones, 26, will miss Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off final against Slovakia at Windsor Park next Thursday, manager Ian Baraclough has confirmed.

"I have spoken to Jordan today and made my feelings on the matter clear to him," said Baraclough.

"This team has a responsibility to show leadership not only on the field, but off it too. It is something we have discussed many times.

"Jordan is a talented young player who has a lot to offer Northern Irish football. Unfortunately he has made the wrong decision in a period where we all need to look out for the safety of others, as well as ourselves. Hopefully he will learn from this incident."

He was part of Baraclough's squad for last month's international triple-header and came on as a substitute in the play-off semi-final win in Bosnia.

Rangers say the incident took place just hours after Steven Gerrard's side defeated Kilmarnock 1-0 to go nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Neither player was in the matchday squad.

Jones has made just four appearances for Rangers this season, while English centre-half Edmundson, 23, played the second of his two games this season over a month ago.

Meanwhile, Rangers have been fined £4,500 by Uefa for breaching the governing body's Return to Play Protocol during their Europa League play-off win against Galatasaray at Ibrox.

The breach relates to giving appropriate guidance to matchday staff.