One thing that Rangers need to improve on is when decent money is spent, it is spent on a player who instantly improves Philippe Clement’s starting XI.
The manager doesn’t have much money to play with so, big investment needs to see a big return with multi-million pound players forming the backbone of the squad.
In Nedim Bajrami, Rangers have yet to see anything near the sort of level of performance that an international footballer who has spent his last few years in Serie A should be producing.
Rangers should be worried about Nedim Bajrami
Bajrami was signed for £3.4m with the expectation that he would solve the No.10 problem in the team and replace the departed Todd Cantwell.
Ianis Hagi had yet to resolve his contract issue with all the eggs being placed firmly in the Albanian’s basket.
Fast forward six months and the 25-year old looks like a lost soul.
For 45 minutes against Queen’s Park, in a game that he should have been dictating, he was anonymous.
No key passes, no chances created, no attempts on goal.
The worrying thing for Rangers fans is, it isn’t the first time.
Three times Bajrami has started a game, made no impact, and then been replaced at half-time.
Playing centrally, he has just one goal, in the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic when he pounced on a rebound.
In 20 league games, Bajrami has created four big chances – total.
Ianis Hagi has been in Sofascore’s team of the week six times, Bajrami, zero. In five less games.
What did Clement see in Bajrami?
What makes things worse, is that Clement had been watching Bajrami for a long time and decided that he had the creativity and dynamism needed to take Rangers to the next level:
“I am pleased to welcome Nedim to the club. He is someone we have kept a close eye on for a period of time and we are glad to add him to our squad,” Clement said when Bajrami signed.
“Many of our supporters will have watched in the European Championships, as well as playing in Serie A last season.
“Nedim is a good age, but someone who also has experience of playing in big games and we are glad he has decided Rangers are the right club for him at this point in his career.”
Players can take time to adapt to new leagues and new systems, however, Bajrami currently looks as far removed from the experienced playmaker that Rangers thought they were getting as could possibly be imagined.
The much talked about player trading model will never provide the foundations of Rangers finances whilst so much money is spent on so many players who don’t provide value for money.
