Glasgow Rangers may not have secured a marquee name in the January transfer window, but Philippe Clement has displayed his knack for picking up promising young talents, as Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes both joined the Ibrox side.
It remains to be seen whether the pair can adjust to Scottish football, but the initial reaction has been positive, and they could emerge as crucial members of the squad across the next few months as the Gers look to win the Premiership and Scottish Cup.
Clement did miss out on bringing another face or two to the club last month, especially with one talented winger being linked perennially throughout the window…
Rangers' January business
While there was never going to be a mass exodus of players in order to fund Clement’s transfer ambitions, the Ibrox faithful were hoping for more than three new signings, especially due to their injury problems in the attacking department.
Both Danilo and Abdallah Sima face long spells on the sidelines and the Belgian manager may come to rue not bringing in at least one more attacking-minded player.
During the early stages of the transfer window, the Gers were reportedly showing interest in Vitesse Arnhem winger Million Manhoef regarding a potential winter move, according to TEAMtalk.
The outlet claimed that any move would likely cost the Light Blues a transfer fee in the region of £3m and, given the financial situation surrounding the Dutch side, this looked like it could turn out to be a shrewd investment.
Feyenoord were also showing interest in the 22-year-old given his performances in the Eredivisie, but as the window approached the final few days, it soon transpired that the Gers were not going to be able to sign him ahead of the second half of the season.
Indeed, it was Stoke City who soon made the move to bring him to England, announcing his signing on transfer deadline day last week for an undisclosed fee.
Clement could come to rue missing out on the Dutchman, especially as he has scored more goals than Ross McCausland this term.
Ross McCausland’s season in numbers
The young winger has made quite a splash this season, emerging as a first-team regular under Clement due to injury issues.
Since making his first appearance of the season against Aris Limassol in the Europa League back in October, the Northern Irishman has since missed just one game and has proven himself to be a useful player.
Indeed, the 20-year-old has chipped in with two goals and three assists across 23 matches and while there are periods during matches where he drifts out and becomes less effective, the more senior experience he gets, the better he will become.
Clement has shown that he will play youngsters if they are good enough and McCausland has more than made the right wing slot his own since mid-October.
If he suffers an injury, however, only Scott Wright is available for the position, and it could leave Clement in a tricky spot.
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Securing a move for Manhoef when the club were initially linked at the start of January would have solved this potential problem, particularly as he is even more effective in front of goal than McCausland.
Million Manhoef’s statistics this season
The Dutch winger scored nine goals in 33 Eredivisie matches in 2022/23, along with adding five assists, as he proved to be one of Vitesse’s main threats in front of goal.
He continued this form into the current campaign and netted four goals for the Dutch side, despite them occupying bottom spot in the top flight.
This is two more goals than McCauasland and Manhoef was arguably a more positive influence among his teammates, especially due to the fact his four goals contributed towards 31% of their total tally during the 2023/24 campaign.
The winger also averaged 1.4 key passes per game for Vitesse in the league, created one big chance and succeeded with 2.5 dribbles per game, a wonderful return, and it proves he is more than just clinical in front of goal.
Stoke do indeed have a player who could make a big difference to their attacking output, especially if he settles in the Championship, and his style is certainly comparable to that of Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.
Million Manhoef is similar to Mohamed Salah
That is according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who profiled him last year as he emerged as a player to watch out for.
Kulig claimed that Manhoef was similar to that of Salah – both right-wingers who show a keen eye for goal – and according to WhoScored, both Manhoef and Salah excel at finishing and for key passes, meaning they are capable of not only scoring plenty, but creating opportunities for their teammates too.
The duo enjoy cutting in on a regular basis and driving towards the opposition penalty box, which is another reason both players are so dangerous in the attacking third.
While saying the Dutchman could be the next Salah is a tad hyperbolic, the fact that they both play similarly clearly indicates that the Stoke winger could have been Clement’s own version of the Anfield maestro.
Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson also lavished praise on the youngster, going as far to say that he has “electrifying pace” while his “confidence on the ball” is a standout trait, and it may have made him an Ibrox favourite should he have joined the club.
If Manhoef kicks on and becomes a massive hit at Stoke, there is no doubt there will be Premier League clubs looking to secure his signature, and it will be another talent that has gotten away from Rangers.
The club have regretted signing a few players over the years, with some ending up being touted for big-money moves to the English top flight.
Under Clement, however, hopefully missing out on these types of players who have shown exciting promise is a thing of the past and with the signings of Diomande and Cortes, it could well be the beginning of a new and improved transfer strategy operating at Ibrox.
