Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is convinced Cedric Itten is a man whose found his feet after a tumultuous year in Glasgow.
The Swiss striker had a difficult first season out of his homeland, with the pandemic preventing both himself socialising and his family coming to visit.
Despite this, Ced the Ted was an industrious forward figure at times and showed flashes of what he’s capable of.
But now, with a renewed sense of vigour around the striker and some serious uncertainty at the top of the pitch, Cedric might have an early Champions League chance to shine this season.
As things stand, Rangers could be without thee key attacking players for at the very least their first foray into Europe this season.
Striker Kemar Roofe will miss the entirety of Champions League qualification due to a four-game UEFA ban ordered after the Slavia Prague shame game.
Jermain Defoe picked up a hamstring knock in pre-season and it remains unclear just how far away he will be from returning to the fore. Or if he’ll even be registered for the squad.
Rangers opted to keep Jermain, 38, out of their European squads last season and it may well be the same this time around.
First-choice forward Alfredo Morelos is also facing a race against time to available for the match after Colombia’s Copa America bid took them to the final weekend of the tournament.
That effectively leaves both Cedric Itten and Fashion Sakala as the potential striking options for the match with either Malmo FF or HJK Helsinki.
Sakala has certainly stolen the hearts of plenty of Gers fans already but as a striking focal point perhaps it’s Cedric who represents the most logical option.
Ced has been with the club for the entirety of pre-season and beyond just putting in a series of spirited displays, looks sharp in front of goal, winding up the club’s top pre-season scorer (3).
They say that strikers are confidence players and what an opportunity Champions League qualification could serve Cedric to build some.
With £30m+ on the line in these qualifiers, Steven Gerrard’s renewed confidence in the player may well be put to the test.
The striker himself has also been speaking about now being settled in Glasgow with success firmly in the ex-FC St Gallen star’s sights.