Rangers January transfer window was a strange one, Philippe Clement never gave anything away and when Mohamed Diomande’s name appeared, it seemed to come from nowhere.
With two goals already, the Ivorian has made an instant impression under the Gers boss and has settled in well alongside John Lundstram in the engine room and the squad as a whole.
The winter window is a notoriously difficult time to recruit, however, with Rangers still in Europe, it made it an easy decision for Mohamed Diomande to come to Ibrox.
Rangers a dream come true for Mohamed Diomande
The 22-year old is unlike any player we’ve had in recent seasons.
He has shades of Glen Kamara in terms of how he evades pressure but there are also similarities with Joe Aribo in terms of how willing he is to take a shot on from in and around the box.
The biggest difference being that Diomande is comfortable on either foot, as seen by the two goals that he has to his account.
Ahead of Rangers trip to face Benfica, Mohamed Diomande, who is set to move permanently for £4.3m in the summer, has revealed that our continental reputation was a key factor in making the move across the North Sea:
“I was watching when Rangers made it to Seville, I saw all the stuff they did and how they progressed through. That was also one of the big reasons why I decided to come here. I’d love to have my own similar experience.
“I’m living the dream here and for me, that means playing at the highest level of football that I can. Competing at this stage in the tournament means you’re one of the best teams in Europe and to get here you need to be one of the best in your league and to compete against different clubs on the continent.”
Rangers current UEFA Club Coefficient ranking sees us in 26th place, not bad considering how hamstrung we are by a sub-standard TV deal.
It is also a reflection of how well we have competed – ignore last season – amongst the big teams in Europe.
For perspective, Arsenal sit just above us with clubs like Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, Lazio, Milan, Sporting Lisbon and Tottenham Hotspur all below us.
Hopefully, Rangers can keep the Europa League dream alive for a bit longer with Mohamed Diomande now getting the chance to experience Ibrox on a Thursday night under the lights.
Ibrox baby, it’s just different.
