Rangers’ transfer spending of recent seasons has routinely come under the microscope when placed up against the club’s domestic shortcomings.
What money Rangers have had to spend hasn’t always been used wisely, with several of the club’s high-earners out on loan such has been their underwhelming stints in Glasgow.
Seattle Sounders bound Ryan Kent also somewhat embodies the issues Rangers have had with player trading too, the £7m winger leaving for nothing at the end of his contract.
One player for whom the final few chapters at Ibrox are yet to be written is Brazilian striker Danilo.
The most expensive player since Kent and the most expensive player in the Rangers squad, Danilo cost Rangers £6m (Sky Sports) when he signed under Michael Beale.
But with Dani yet to convince Gers fans he has what it takes, there’s one way the ex-Feyenoord hitman can hold off being labelled one of the Ibrox club’s all-time flops.
Danilo struggling to prove £6m Rangers credentials
When Rangers spend £6m on a player, fans have every right to expect returns.
But Danilo has largely been unable to string together a consistent run of performances with the physicality of Scottish football and a serious knee injury hampering his first two seasons in Scotland.
Rangers fans have gotten used to players taking two or so years to settle – just look at Nicolas Raskin – with a feeling that the best is still to come for Danilo.
But with the changing of the Ibrox guard having taken place twice already since the Brazilian joined the club, there’s a fear the 25-year-old is succumbing to a sense of obscurity in Glasgow.
This season, Danilo has started only six matches in the Scottish Premiership, making 16 appearances in total.
In that period the striker has five goals but has had an xG of 7.23. Whilst almost 50% of Danilo’s shots are on target, the hitman averages a goal just over every seven attempts (36 shots).
These are somewhat paradoxical figures. They tell the story of a forward who has the ability to find the back of the net but also of someone who isn’t performing at his maximum.
Where Danilo has won fans is in the Old Firm derby, the Brazilian’s composure in Scotland’s fiercest fixture at odds with South American counterpart Alfredo Morelos.
Danilo nodded in a late equaliser in the penalty kicks Premier Sports Cup defeat to Celtic earlier in the season.
The striker was also in the right place at the right time to help put Celtic to the sword with the final goal in this campaign’s 3-0 Ibrox victory.
The Old Firm is not a stage that phases the forward and that should bode well going into a crunch Europa League double-header against Athletic Bilbao.
Europa League perfect stage for Danilo to silence detractors
There is clearly a player there but the stop start nature of Danilo’s tenure has prevented Rangers really ever harnessing it.
Philippe Clement claims he wanted Danilo at Club Brugge, the forward having made an impression at Ajax, FC Twente and then eventually Feyenoord before moving to Ibrox.
Competition with the free-scoring Cyriel Dessers and Morocco debutant Hamza Igamane is also ensuring that opportunities are hard to come by.
Now back in the Rangers squad after yet more injury problems, Danilo’s Europa League frustration was evident when he was called back after almost being subbed on v Fenerbahce.
The striker is yet to play a single minute of Europa League football this season having been ruled out of the League Phase due to injury.
If the hitman has any story to write at Rangers this season, it will need to be on the continent with the Gers’ drastic domestic campaign well publicised.
Whilst the striker failed to get a look in against Fenerbahce, Danilo will be hoping to be given an opportunity against Athletic Bilbao.
If the hitman ever wanted to prove that he was it takes to play for Rangers then the Europa League stage is all set for the striker to make the headlines.
It would go some way to relieving the pressure of that £6m price tag too, which has only served as another obstacle to the striker finding his feet in Glasgow.
