After being farmed out by Rangers during the January transfer window, the two Ibrox benchwarmers didn’t take long to remind their parent clubs as to the talent that bubbles beneath the surface.
Kieran Dowell has made quite the impression at Birmingham City. Praised by his new head coach, and former Celtic assistant, Chris Davies after an eye-catching first start against Rotherham United last weekend, the midfielder provided the assist-to-the-assist as Birmingham came from behind to extend their lead at the top of the League One table.
Another player loaned out by Rangers last month would go one step further, meanwhile.
Rabbi Matondo scored a stunning solo goal on an ‘almost perfect debut’ for Hannover in Germany’s second tier.
Yet, you won’t find former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson engaging in any post-transfer window revisionism.
Rangers applauded for moving on Kieran Dowell and Rabbi Matondo
Philippe Clement let Dowell go to hand Bailey Rice a bigger role in his first-team plans. The manager himself confirmed as much after the stylish 18-year-old played the entire second half of the 4-0 trouncing of Ross County.
Findlay Curtis was rewarded with a new contract at Rangers recently, meanwhile. An attacking midfielder who likes to drift in from the left-hand side, Matondo’s departure – he could join Hannover permanently for £1 million in the summer – may open up the window of opportunity that little bit wider for another Gers teen.
“Clearing the path for these [young] players, that’s what I like,” Ferguson smiles. “I like that Matondo’s away out the door. I like that Dowell is on the way down to Birmingham, because we’ve got these guys.
“We’ve got Bailey Rice, and you can see he’s a boy who can cut it. He will get his opportunity.”
“I think that the costs have had to come down. The wage bill has had to go down. And [you have to] get players out who were not contributing, who were not doing it,” agrees James McFadden, capped 48 times by Scotland in his playing days.
“Dowell and Matondo had to go because they weren’t playing. You’ve got Bailey Rice, who’s got a chance to go and platy as much as Dowell – more than Dowell – and I think you would like to see a younger player [in the team].”
- READ MORE: The Best Rangers Loan Signings of All-Time
Rafael Fernandes arrival adds cover to Rangers’ backline
Dowell’s exit also came a few days before Rangers confirmed the signing of Dundee pocket rocket Lyall Cameron for next season. At just 22, he is another of what technical director Nils Koppen refers to as ‘young, exciting’ additions.
Rafael Fernandes falls into that category as well.
Rangers signed the Portuguese centre-back on loan from LOSC Lille in order to give Rafael Fernandes the sort of game time that was denied him over in France.
While Cameron’s fellow 22-year-old is yet to make his mark – he only made his debut off the bench last weekend – Ferguson is confident that Rangers now have enough defensive depth, especially with John Souttar making his long-awaited return from injury.
“Fernandes comes in as well at centre-back, and that’s been a problem [position],” adds the two-time Scottish Premiership champion. “You’ve got Souttar, [Robin] Propper, [Clinton] Nsiala has been excellent. [Dujon] Sterling has played there, you can get [James Tavernier] in there.
“I think they’ve got enough cover.”
