By support

19th May, 2018 | 6:10pm

Rangers summer signing needs to hit the ground running after loan spell

COMMENT

Rangers confirmed the permanent signing of Jamie Murphy on Friday as the Scotland international became the third signing of the Steven Gerrard era at Ibrox – and the 28-year-old winger needs to hit the ground running after spending the second-half of last season on loan at Ibrox.

Murphy joined the Gers from Brighton in January and was a regular in the starting XI over the remainder of the season and needs to be at his best from the very first game when the Ibrox giants kick off their Europa League campaign in July.

While players often get something of a bedding-in period, after spending five months at Ibrox already, Murphy won’t be afforded the same at the beginning of next season when the Light Blues get underway.

With a massive influx of new faces expected at Ibrox this summer, Murphy could end up being one of only a handful of players who have regularly played for the Gers and will be someone Gerrard and Gers fans will be expecting big performances from.

Murphy scored five times and contributed ten assists in 19 appearances during his loan spell at Ibrox last season so has already shown he has the quality to change games – although he didn’t particularly have any influence in some of the Light Blues’ biggest games.

Having better players around him will no doubt help Murphy’s performances and bring even better stats from the former Sheffield United and Motherwell ace but he will need to do it from the very first game and help the Light Blues banish the memory of last season’s humiliating defeat by Progres Niederkorn in the first qualifying round.

In other Rangers transfer news, the club are in hot pursuit of a 6’4″ colossus who could be signing of the season.

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