It’s been a whirlwind few days for the Rangers fans, and here we look at the pros and cons of one of their biggest signings in years.
Yes, Steven Davis’ move to Ibrox was confirmed last night. It’s a huge boost for the club to have the Northern Ireland veteran in, but question marks must hover over the short-nature of the deal.
Despite it originally looking as though Davis was going to arrive permanently, that hasn’t been the case. Instead, a six-month loan deal as agreed to eat up the final six months of his contract.
The pros
First of all, this deal costs Rangers absolutely nothing. Other than spending a minimal amount on Davis’ wages, Rangers are getting a seasoned veteran in for no money.
Davis’ love for the club surely helped to press this deal forward. Considering Rangers could look to bolster some key areas this month, they could use any quality freebie they can get. Getting Davis in for six months helps them look at other areas to splash out on.
Secondly, there’s the fact that we don’t know how good Davis actually is these days.
Yes, the Northern Ireland veteran has had six incredible years of service at Southampton. The truth is, however, he hasn’t been getting consistent game-time down in England.
Rangers can use the six-month deal to look at his game and see if he still fits the picture at Ibrox. Is he still a quick-enough thinker? Is he of the standard required to win the league? Does he fit Gerrard’s system? The deal simply gives Rangers some security.
The cons
The main and pretty much only one is the fact that he isn’t tied to Rangers for years to come.
Despite the fact he’s 36 and that may not be a bad thing, it could if he seriously turns it on.
There could be the situation where Davis impresses so much that he’s wanted elsewhere. Many clubs down south can pay a lot more than Rangers, and an impressive six months at Ibrox could lead to a future elsewhere.
Davis’ heart could play a key part in this. It’s unclear whether it was Southampton who decided to make it a loan deal over a permanent one. Given the fact that Davis has always been vocal about his desire to return to Rangers, he may have no other desire than to return to Ibrox permanently.
The other potential con is that it could prove to be a stumbling block in Gerrard’s summer plans. Uncertainty over Davis could have a domino effect on some other deals. In reality though, that’s far-fetched and more clutching than anything.
The pros perhaps outweigh the cons in this deal overall. But only if Rangers can get their man should be perform well.
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