Kenny Miller has been so impressed by the impact three Rangers players have had on the team since signing for the Ibrox giants.
The Rangers first-team squad was overhauled in the summer under the tutelage of Michael Beale with nine new faces brought to Govan in an attempt to close the gap on Celtic.
The Hoops had just won the domestic Treble under Ange Postecoglou but Brendan Rodgers replaced the Aussie-Greek in the Parkhead dugout after he left for Tottenham Hotspur.
Rangers splurged £21m – which incorporates agent and signing on fees – including a near £6m on Brazilian striker Danilo. But bar Jack Butland, Beale was unable to get the best from underperforming new signings – particularly Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers.
In the end, he was sacked after Celtic had opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership come October.
Philippe Clement arrived as his successor and proved after a matter of weeks that most of the players Beale had recruited were in fact worthy of forging out a career with Rangers.
The Belgian transformed the fortunes of Dessers, Leon Balogun and Dujon Sterling while maximising the potential of existing squad members such as Ridvan Yilmaz and Tom Lawrence.
But Rangers required further strengthening in the January window if they were to maintain a serious title challenge after Clement had pegged Celtic back in the race for the country’s top prize.
After the addition of Nils Koppen as director of football, he and Clement wasted no time in recruiting quality additions such as Fabio Silva, Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes.
It’s not too often a manager’s first three signings at a club get off the mark as well as the aforementioned trio but according to Miller, they’ve been simply ‘spectacular’ and all very important as Rangers chase a Treble of their own this season.
Kenny Miller waxes lyrical over Silva and Diomande
Asked initially by OLBG how impressive Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande have been since joining Rangers on loan, Miller said the Portuguese starlet has grown in stature after a slow start.
While Ivorian Diomande, who will be purchased in the summer permanently from FC Nordsjælland, is the type of goalscoring midfielder Rangers have been ‘lacking’ of late.
Miller said: “They (Rangers) needed strengthening in January and I think they did just that with the signings that came in despite looking like unknown quantities.
“Fabio Silva carries a big price tag on his head for a young man, and I don’t think he hit the ground running immediately.
“But in the last three or four games when he’s been deployed off the left rather than through the middle as the number nine, that has suited him, he’s looked a lot more settled and more involved in the game.
“He seems to have embraced what the club stands for and he looks like he’s enjoying himself on the pitch.
“However, I can’t see Rangers buying Fabio permanently, even though I’m sure they would love to, because of the price tag that Wolves paid for him. I think that would be a tough signing for them.
“I’m sure Diamonde will be made a permanent signing in the summer. He’s been excellent, he scored a couple of great goals early on in his Rangers career.
“It’s something Rangers have lacked; a midfielder who can return goals regularly and he seems to be a player who can do just that.
“He’s got the capability to shoot for distance, we’ve seen that twice already this season, and he gets himself into the box to get on the end of things as well.
“I think moving forward he could be a big player for Rangers and an exceptional signing.”
Oscar Cortes will score goals ‘eventually’
Meanwhile, Colombian winger Cortes was recruited from RC Lens after struggling to make an impact in Ligue 1 since signing from Millonarios FC in the summer.
He’s managed just the one goal in seven appearances for Rangers so far – that came against Hearts – but is unfortunately injured due a hamstring issue at the moment.
Kenny Miller reckons, thought, that the ‘exciting’ Cortes can be someone who will add goals to his game towards the end of the season and perhaps beyond if he signs permanently from Lens.
Miller commented: “Oscar Cortes is another player I would love to see made into a permanent signing as well, he has caught my eye, more so than most players this season.
“I think Rangers have been crying out for a pacey winger who can dribble, put defenders on the back foot, and create chances.
“I know he’s not scored yet, but he looks hungry to get in the box, so I’ve no doubt he will bring goals from that area of the pitch eventually.
“I’ve been excited by him as a signing, Rangers wingers have lots of good qualities, but I think Cortes brings a lot of these qualities into the one player.
“I’ve been really excited by him and the way he has been able to impact the team as a loan player.
“I think these three signings have been spectacular, they’ve made an impact on the team with the injuries that Rangers have had over the last few months.
“It has been important that these guys came in, stepped up to the plate and helped the team and there’s no doubt they’ve done that.”
