The impact that Danny Rohl has made since arriving at Rangers cannot be understated.
The German has dragged a side that looked finished under Russell Martin into title contention with just four games left to play in the Scottish Premiership. Even if it doesn’t end in silverware, this is only the start for a talented young manager at Ibrox.
It’s not just the results that Rohl has changed, either. The former Sheffield Wedesday boss has also got one summer signing looking like the next Glen Kamara.
How Kamara rose to stardom at Rangers
Kamara and Steven Gerrard were a match made in heaven at Rangers. The Liverpool icon took to the dugout and got the best out of the Finland midfielder, who helped secure the Scottish Premiership title in return.
By the time that he left Ibrox, Kamara had played 193 games for the club. Even if things did eventually sour, as he was exiled from the squad under Michael Beale before leaving in the summer of 2023, there’s no denying the impact that the midfielder made at his best under Gerrard.
“I obviously knew the player and what you saw against Kilmarnock is why we wanted to bring him in this summer. Thankfully we’ve been able to bring him in early.
“He was a class act the other night, I thought he was superb from start to finish. (Gerrard on Kamara in 2019)
There’s also no denying that there was a sense of inevitability over Kamara’s future at the club. As he continued to steal the headlines, a departure always looked on the cards and English football soon came calling courtesy of Leeds United.
It’s a familiar story for Rangers, who will be desperate to avoid a repeat with Emmanuel Fernandez – a player that has shown every sign of earning similar plaudits this season.
Rangers have found another Kamara
It was difficult to see where Fernandez’s role would arrive at Rangers under Martin.
The same could be said for almost every new signing at the time – it was a disastrous symtom of the manager’s tenure. But Rohl’s arrival has since changed that. Fernandez is not only receiving game time, he is thriving as a key member of the German’s best line-up.
|
Fernandez 25/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
1,907 |
|
Tackles |
41 |
|
Duel success |
67.9% |
|
Pass accuracy |
87.9% |
|
Recoveries |
109 |
Under Martin, the defender played just twice. It’s telling of the transformation that Rohl has made that Fernandez has played a pivital part ever since – starting 19 of the last 22 games in the Scottish Premiership.
It’s not all positive as far as Rangers are concerned, however. Fernandez’s form has reportedly attracted interest from clubs as impressive as Arsenal, who are eyeing a move worth a club-record £35m this summer.
From a profit perspective, it would be excellent business by the 49era, just as it was when Rangers sold Kamara. A mere £100,000 signing from Dundee, he ultimately left for £5m, banking a massive amount of profit. The same could happen. The Gers signed Fernandez for just £3.5m from Peterborough last summer and would stand to make £31m more from his sale.
From a football perspective, it would be a major blow. If Rangers are to return to the top of Scotland for the first time since 2021, then they must do better to keep hold of their best players.
Whether Fernandez would push for the move, himself, is also a question worth asking. The last thing Rohl needs is a messy departure similar to the one that Kamara handed Beale back in 2023.
The chance for serious profit will be tempting for Rangers, but the 49ers must prioritise building a squad capable of winning the Scottish Premiership rather than stripping it this summer.
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