Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement is finally beginning to see the fruits of his labour with regard to how his signings from the summer transfer window are performing.
A rebuild was certainly required at Ibrox, with plenty of high earners being sold or released, while a host of young talents arrived in Glasgow, along with a few experienced players.
With a few months of the season now completed, several players have established themselves as key members of Clement’s squad. Connor Barron, for example, has played in every single match this season so far, shining in the heart of the midfield.
Vaclav Cerny is another who has recently put a couple of bad performances behind him to embark on a wonderful run of form over the previous few weeks.
Indeed, the Czech winger has scored five goals and grabbed three assists in six games and there is no doubt the 27-year-old has cemented his place in the starting XI.
Others haven’t quite lived up to the hype on their arrival, especially a defender signed back in August…
How much Rangers paid for Robin Propper
One area which Clement needed to bolster during the summer was the Light Blues’ defensive options. Connor Goldson was sold after six years in Glasgow, while Leon Balogun was likely to enter his final season at the club.
This saw the Belgian turn to Europe in order to add some reinforcements to his squad, making a move for FC Twente captain Robin Propper.
The Dutchman had played over 200 times in the Eredivisie throughout his career, so it was clear the 31-year-old was experienced enough to take over from Goldson at the heart of the Gers defence.
Clement didn’t exactly have the biggest budget to play with, yet he managed to secure Propper’s signature for a fee in the region of just £1.5m due to a clause in his contract.
On the surface, it appeared to be a smart piece of business, yet after a few months, the centre-back hasn’t quite performed at his best for the Light Blues.
Robin Propper’s Rangers stats
Since making the move to Rangers, Propper has featured 14 times across all competitions, although he has had to settle for a place on the bench in the club’s last two domestic matches.
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The former Twente captain has started three of their four Europa League ties, although his three starts have seen the club concede five goals, including four at home to Lyon in October.
During those games, Propper has won just 48% of his total duels each match, lost possession on average 9.5 times per game and completed just 80% of his passes.
Metric (per 90)
Premiership
Europa League
Accurate passes
70.1
34.5
Tackles
1.9
1
Possession lost
8.7
9.5
Total duels won
6.1
3.5
Dribbled past
0.7
0.8
The defender has committed 1.5 fouls per game too, while being dribbled past on 0.8 occasions each match. Is he struggling with his discipline?
Question marks still surround Propper and his performances of late haven’t exactly convinced the Ibrox faithful that he is the right choice to be the leader in the heart of their defence.
Should the Gers have gone all out for a transfer target in 2023 who is now starring in the Champions League? Rather than wait another year for Goldson’s inevitable decline and having to replace him within a matter of weeks.
Auston Trusty was someone Michael Beale wanted, yet he ended up joining Celtic this summer.
Rangers' pursuit of Auston Trusty
Beale faced a similar conundrum to Clement during his first summer transfer window in charge, as a major rebuild was required at Ibrox.
One area which needed some overhauling was the defence, which led the Englishman to add several targets from down south to his list.
Trusty was one name that appeared quite frequently. In May 2023, the then Arsenal starlet was linked with a move to Ibrox, with the club reportedly even submitting a bid in July to secure his signature.
He ended up joining Sheffield United for the 2023/24 campaign, ensuring he got some first-team football in the Premier League.
It looked like the boat had sailed with regard to signing him during the summer, with Celtic eventually securing a deal for the defender, spending £6m to bring him north of the border.
The move looks like an inspired one, that’s for sure.
How Auston Trusty compares to Propper
Hailed by former teammate George Friend for being “incredible”, Trusty has shone for the Parkhead side during his first few months in Scotland, especially in the Champions League.
The American has played in all four of Celtic’s European games so far this season, as they have recorded two wins, a draw and a solitary defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Across three starts in Europe’s premier club competition, Trusty has succeeded with a staggering 96% of his passes, has been dribbled past just 0.3 times per game, won 4.5 total duels per game – a success rate of 62% – and has also lost possession just 2.3 times per match, showcasing his class on the biggest stage of all.
Compare these stats to Propper’s from the Europa League mentioned earlier, and they are night and day, with Trusty looking like the real deal in Europe.
Signing a competent defender can make all the difference when performing in continental competition.
This is one area in which Clement has struggled, and it is clear the Ibrox side blundered massively by failing to sign Trusty back in 2023.
Of course, the £5m asking price that Arsenal demanded was clearly too much for the club. Instead, they splashed money on players such as Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Danilo instead.
It remains to be seen what the Gers will do in the January window, especially as Balogun enters the final six months of his contract. With the midfield improving after every game while Cerny and Nedim Bajrami settle in nicely, might another defender be signed?
If they can land someone similar to Trusty, then the second half of the season may see a change in fortunes, no doubt about that.
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