Glasgow Rangers manager Russell Martin knew that he had to make a fast start to the summer transfer window, especially with the Champions League qualifiers zooming into focus.
Indeed, his first competitive match against Panathinaikos is just a few weeks away, leaving no margin for error.
Date
Opposition
Competition
July 22
Panathinaikos
Champions League qualifiers
July 30
Panathinaikos
Champions League qualifiers
August 2
Motherwell
Premiership
August 9
Dundee
Premiership
August 23
St Mirren
Premiership
Lyall Cameron had agreed a pre-contract agreement with the Ibrox side back in January, but Martin has moved to bring in Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez to bolster his squad.
Of course, there will be several outgoings as well. Cyriel Dessers looks like he is set to leave Glasgow this summer. Hamza Igamane is another player who could be departing, with French side Lille reportedly agreeing personal terms with the young striker.
These potential sales will raise funds for the manager to further strengthen his squad as the weeks go on.
Aarons will add plenty of competition for James Tavernier at right-back next season, while Rothwell has played under Martin before, therefore knows his style of play well and won’t take long to get settled in.
Fernandez is a curious signing, however. He played in a Peterborough side that finished 18th in League One last season.
Aged just 23, there is plenty of room for growth, but can the Englishman turn into the next Calvin Bassey at Ibrox?
Why Rangers signed Emmanuel Fernandez
The first port of call for Martin upon his arrival at Rangers was to sort out the defence. Last season, the Gers conceded 71 goals across 58 competitive matches, which works out as 1.2 goals conceded per game.
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This figure has to improve if the Light Blues wish to challenge for domestic supremacy this season, no doubt about that. In comparison, Celtic conceded 59 goals in 57 matches last season.
Leon Balogun has already left, and it looks like Robin Propper could well be off in the coming weeks, leaving Martin with work to do.
With Aarons already signed, the announcement of Fernandez came as no surprise. The Ibrox side reportedly spent £3.5m to sign the centre-back and, at that price, Martin will be hoping he can settle quickly at the club.
The manager will utilise a possession-based style of play, encouraging his defenders to play out from the back, hence the move for Fernandez.
In League One last term, Fernandez succeeded with 67% of his dribbles, while also averaging a pass success rate of 87% for the Posh.
He even ranked in the top 17% when compared to his positional peers for touches in the opposition box (41), proving that he finds himself in dangerous positions on a regular basis.
These statistics certainly fit in with Martin’s style of play, and he could be a decent signing, provided that he contributes from the start.
Rangers haven’t had much success recently with players from the EFL, as they have largely struggled to adapt to Scottish football.
Fernandez will be the first of a few defenders through the door this summer. Recent news indicates that Martin is closing in on another centre-back in the coming days…
Rangers closing in on Premier League defender
The former Posh defender will surely be the first of several centre-backs making the move to Ibrox.
Leicester City defender Conor Coady has been linked with a move to Glasgow, although it remains to be seen whether he swaps the Foxes for Rangers.
Harry Darling was also linked with a reunion with Martin at Ibrox earlier in the transfer window, but he has decided to join Norwich City instead.
Journalist Anthony Joseph has given an update on the club’s chase for new signings, saying that Rangers are “close to agreeing a loan deal” for Wolves centre-back Nasser Djiga.
Joseph went on to add that the move would be a “straight season-long loan”, with the Ibrox side hoping to have the player booked in for a medical “in the coming days”.
An initial temporary deal could work out well for both parties and Djiga could even turn out to be an instant upgrade on Fernandez, that’s for sure.
Why Rangers must sign Nasser Djiga
The African defender only joined Wolverhampton Wanderers during the winter window from Red Star Belgrade, but he found game time hard to come by in the Premier League.
Indeed, the 22-year-old only played five times for the Old Gold in the top flight and experience north of the border will surely bolster his long-term ambitions at Molineux.
His performances at the Serbian outfit were impressive, however, especially during the first half of the season. While Fernandez can play out with the ball, it appears as though the 6 foot 4 Burkina Faso international is even better.
Across 17 Serbian top-flight matches, Djiga not only succeeded with 95% of his passes, but the defender also succeeded with 80% of his dribble attempts, showcasing his desire to burst forward from the heart of the defence.
When compared to his positional peers in the Champions League last term, Djiga ranked in the top 5% for progressive carries (1.63) per 90, while also ranking in the top 23% for touches in the opposition penalty area (1.13) per 90.
Considering these statistics were recorded at the highest level of the game, Djiga should have no problem settling in at Ibrox.
Judging by his performances in Europe’s top club competition, the Wolves centre-back appears to be an instant upgrade on Fernandez and this could see him slot straight into the starting XI once he seals his move to Rangers.
Scottish analyst and content creator Kai Watson profiled the youngster amid his links to Ibrox, saying:
“He hasn’t been given a chance at Wolves but at Red Star he was a strong passer of the ball with a good understanding of the game. He seems like the ideal CB for Russell Martin.”
Martin’s aim is to bring in players who might not be massive names, but who fit his style of play perfectly.
Only then, can Rangers truly begin to challenge for domestic superiority.
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