The Rangers transfer philosophy has changed in recent seasons, and for good reason.
For too long at Ibrox have gaps been plugged with short-term solutions. Players with little to no resale value signed or retained at a sizeable cost.
Recruitment chief turned technical director Nils Koppen was hired to change that and there does seem to be one or two potential signs of long-term planning in players such as Hamza Igamane, Jefte and Connor Barron to name a few.
There is one other at the club who is likely to buck the recent trend of financial mishaps.
And it is a former teammate who sat down with Rangers News in Josh Doig to describe just how seriously talented ex-Sassuolo wide man Nedim Bajrami really is.
- READ MORE: Josh Doig breaks silence on Rangers transfer interest and why there’s ‘nothing bigger’ than Old Firm derby
The Albanian, 25, left Serie B for £3.4million on deadline day to move to Glasgow and former Hibs defender Doig knew immediately he would suit Scottish football.
The pair roomed for six months before Bajrami became a Rangers star where he has already chipped in with three goals and an assist in 16.
And Doig recalled passing on advice to make the switch and prove himself at Ibrox.
“He was probably one of my better mates in the changing room,” Doig said. “A proper English speaker and I remember he said to me, ‘Look, Rangers are interested’. I actually roomed with him at the start of the season.
“I remember I sent him that Rangers were involved and I was like, ‘No way’, because it was just so random as a lot of my family are Rangers fans as well. So I was like, ‘There’s no way and he’s like show me texts. He was like, ‘What do you think?’ I was like, ‘You’d absolutely love it’.
Josh Doig feels Nedim Bajrami can earn Rangers money with a ‘big five’ move
| NEDIM BAJRAMI RANGERS STATS |
| PLAYED – 16 |
| GOALS – 3 |
| ASSISTS – 1 |
“Obviously I’m not a Rangers fan. I’ve played against Rangers, rivalries all this and that, but you can appreciate Rangers are a very big team and the fan base is unbelievable.
“I know how passionate the fans are just from my uncles and cousins who are Rangers fans. They just live and breathe it. It’s their life. So I said that to him. It’s like, he’s a very passionate guy with football and with everything he does.
“So I said, ‘You will be so suited to it’. And I know he’s such a technical player. The stuff he does in training I’ve never seen anyone do, like the way he hits the ball and stuff. So I knew as soon as he said that, I was ‘100 percent that would be the place for you. I know you’d love it there’.
“Because he revels in the fans, the life, you know what I mean? So I say that, ‘100 percent if you get the opportunity, go because it’ll change your life.'”
Doig knows firsthand how good Bajrami can be and that is why he knew his pal would cope with the pressures of challenging in the Scottish Premiership.
But given how talented the winger is, he also acknowledged that the fanbase were always going to take to him considering his playing style.
“As I said, he’s got so much ability,” Doig added. “Technically on the ball, his dribbling. It’s like the ball’s glued to his feet sometimes. I said it would be a shock because Scottish football’s much faster than you expect.
What Doig has said about Bajrami’s top qualities as a player
“But I know the way he plays and I know he’d be suited to it. So obviously he has started really well and it’s Rangers, like Hibs, it’s a rollercoaster club as well. But I think the support of the fans and that, I know he revels in all that. So I can imagine he’ll kick on and it’ll continue the way he started.”
So, has Koppen got it right with this summer signing then? Doig thinks so.
If Bajrami can apply himself consistently, the former Hibs left-back reckons he can take himself beyond Scotland’s top flight and into one of Europe’s ‘big five’ divisions and earn Gers a pretty penny.
“Could he go to a big five league? I think so. Yeah, definitely. You seen it he’s played in Serie A that much. You know he’s got the capabilities. So, yeah, 100 percent it’s a exciting one for Rangers, anyway.”
