There are always questions whenever a club, like Philippe Clement’s Rangers did recently, bring in a player who could not buy a game at his previous employers.
In stark contrast to the likes of Connor Barron, Robin Propper and Nedim Bajrami – fixtures in the starting XIs at Aberdeen, FC Twente and Sassuolo respectively – Rafael Fernandes arrives at Rangers a year since his most recent league appearance.
In fact, Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of Fernandes’ last outing. A 5-0 victory for Arouca over Vizela in the Portuguese top flight in January 2024.
Since then, the 6ft 3ins centre-half secured a £2.5 million move to France before ending up in Glasgow, via a grand total of zero Ligue 1 appearances in the red shirt of LOSC Lille.
The question being asked by the more glass-half-empty members of the Rangers fanbase, then, is why exactly Rafael Fernandes failed to force his way into the first-team picture at Lille?
Well, former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday is viewing things from a different, more glass-half-full perspective. He argues that, during Fernandes’ first few months at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, Leny Yoro was starting week-in, week-out while establishing himself as arguably the best young defensive talent in European football.
Andy Halliday backs Rangers loanee Rafael Fernandes
Yoro found himself in the midst of a transfer tug of war that following summer, Manchester United eventually outmuscling Real Madrid while paying an initial £42 million for the rangy Frenchman.
And while Fernandes remained out on the outside looking in following Yoro’s departure to Old Trafford, that owes much to the form of Bafode Diakite in that right-sided central defensive berth.
Though Halliday is disappointed by the number of Rangers signings this winter – Fernandes the only and only new face at Ibrox – he has few concerns about the identity of that new signing.
“Rangers have made one signing. I cannot believe it,” Halliday begins. “[But in terms of Fernandes] The boys who were keeping him out [include] Leny Yoro, who Man United have signed for 50 million [euros].
“There is another boy, Diakite. It is proper players who are keeping him out the team, to be fair.”
Technical director Nils Koppen labels the former Portugal Under-21 international another ‘young, exciting’ addition to follow on from Hamza Igamane, Jefte and Connor Barron.
Rafael Fernandes brings a ‘remarkable’ drive for self-improvement to Ibrox, meanwhile, as one former Sporting Lisbon coach highlights the Rangers newbie’s ‘very good technique’ with the ball at his feet.
Philippe Clement is keen to keep Rafael Fernandes in reserve until he is ready to go, like he did when easing Hamza Igamane into life in Scotland.
Halliday and Ian McCall still unconvinced by Robin Propper at Ibrox
There is no guarantee that Fernandes will ever truly adapt, of course. Both Halliday and one-time Rangers man Ian McCall argue that, while Robin Propper has impressed in the Europa League of late, his form on the domestic stage still leaves more questions than answers.
“I think it takes people time to acclimatise to Scottish football, I really do,” McCall says. “But he doesn’t look quick, he doesn’t look powerful. But he must be a decent player. You don’t play at the levels he has before [without having some talent].
“I actually thought he was really good against Man United,” Halliday adds, Propper impressing as Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage time winner broke Rangers hearts at Old Trafford. “But does he suit the domestic football?
“I don’t know.”
According to reports, Rafael Fernandes had interest from Spain, Germany and France before arriving in Scotland.
