Manuel Benson has secured the league title for Burnley – just a few years since Rangers were allegedly interested.
Benson’s name may be somewhat familiar to Rangers fans thanks to the transfer rumour mill.
Belgian site Voetbal Nieuws reported in 2020 that Rangers were keen to land winger Benson from Royal Antwerp.
It was suggested that Rangers fancied landing both Benson and Zulte Waregem’s Saido Berahino in a double raid on Belgian football.
No deal was done though as Rangers and Steven Gerrard looked elsewhere during a COVID-impacted transfer window.
Benson ended up on loan at PEC Zwolle in 2021 before Antwerp sold him last summer.
Vincent Kompany had seen enough to bring his fellow Belgian to Burnley in a deal worth around €4million (£3.5million).
You can absolutely say that Kompany’s faith in the 26-year-old has been repaid.
Manuel Benson fires Burnley to title win
Benson has been an important player for Burnley, offering pace, skill, trickery and a devastating left foot in off the right flank.
That’s exactly how Benson secured the Championship title for Burnley on Tuesday night.
Taking on bitter rivals Blackburn Rovers in their own back yard, Burnley claimed a 1-0 win thanks to a superb Benson strike.
Benson cut inside from the right flank and curled home a stunning left-footed effort to send the travelling Burnley fans wild.
That’s the third time in as many games that Benson has scored the same type of goal.
Rotherham United and Queens Park Rangers fell victim to Benson’s signature move, shifting the ball away from a full back before whipping a shot past the keeper.
Defenders know it’s coming but just can’t stop it as Benson became the title-winning hero on an enormous night for Burnley.
Oh how Rangers would love somebody like Benson to come up with a title-winning goal against Celtic.
That’s the dream Burnley fans are living out today and Benson will be delighted with how things panned out for him after that Rangers move failed to materialise.
