As Rangers gear up for a busy transfer window, the return of Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe from injury can be like two new signings for the Ibrox club next season.
It might be a cliche, but when you look at the impact these two had in minimal game-time in Glasgow last season, it is clear that, if the club can keep them fit, they have two top-class options in the squad.
Tom Lawrence had his debut season at Rangers devastated by injury, despite enjoying an extremely bright start for the club after joining on a free from Derby County.
While the Gers paid no fee, Lawrence’s reported salary of £27k per week puts him among the club’s top earners and, when someone on that wage is out, a club like Rangers will feel it.
The Gers have toiled this season amid a mixture of confidence, form and injury issues and you get the feeling had the mercurial attacking midfielder-turned-forward been available, things might have been different.
A leader on the park who brings goals, assists and directness, Lawrence may have only played nine games for Rangers before his injury, but he showed enough in that time to prove he can make a difference.
Kemar Roofe and Tom Lawrence injury returns will be major for Rangers
Similarly, Kemar Roofe is an experienced and mightily talented option. Yet injury after injury has disrupted a promising Rangers career scattered with big, big moments.
The former Leeds and Anderlecht forward knows where the back of the net is and has been a difference-maker whenever available. That was the case this season, as he scored the winner in the League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.
But that brief return from injury was short-lived and Rangers have only seen this high-earner – on a reported £26k per week – six times all season.
When two players of such high quality – and on a combined wage of £53k per week – are out of the Rangers side, it represents a sizeable blow and, in a season of disappointment, it’s telling that neither have played a prominent role.
Heading into the new campaign – and if Rangers can keep Lawrence and Roofe injury fee – there’s rarely been a more apt time to apply the “like a new signing” cliche.
But with Michael Beale claiming that Lawrence is not due back to until the “back-end of pre-season”, and Roofe a perennial sick note, it would take a brave Rangers fan to bet on it.