Steven Davis’ signing in January was met with a lot of optimism as Rangers were getting an experienced and proven player to boost their title chances. However, the Northern Irish international had a tough time to begin with as he put in some underwhelming displays.
Now many might think that Davis was signed permanently in January, but the truth is that the Bears only managed to bring him on a six-month loan deal. The veteran midfielder is in the final few months of his contract with Southampton, and he is going to be a free agent in the summer. Therefore Rangers will probably be the favourites to sign him up for free in the summer if they want him.
Should Rangers sign him permanently?
Now the way Davis started, the answer would have been a no for us. But the three-time Premiership winner has put in some impressive performances after the international break. His performance in the just gone by games against Hearts and Motherwell was almost perfect, and Davis is slowly coming into his element.
It was clear that the midfielder needed a few minutes under his belt to get up to the pace of football as he had hardly played in the Premier League in the first half of the season. On current form, we think that Davis should be signed on a short one or two year contract in the summer.
What will he bring to the table?
Against Motherwell, he did everything which could be asked from a midfielder. He broke up play well and pressed the opposition when required. To go with that, he brought calmness and composure when he was in possession. Davis’ movement can cause a lot of trouble for the opposition. Even at the end of the career, it is becoming clear that the veteran midfielder can offer a lot to Rangers.
Gerrard can always rely upon the midfielder to come up with a solid performance. His experience of winning titles from the earlier days will also come in handy. At 35, he might not play every week next season, but as a squad player, he can have a lot of impact.
With an inexperienced squad around, having a veteran in the ranks can make Gerrard’s job easier as Davis can lead the team on the pitch when things are not going well. Now that the Northern Irish international has regained his confidence, we expect him to finish the season even more strongly, and Gerrard should offer him a permanent deal in the summer.
