Pedro Caixinha’s process of revolution at the Ibrox Stadium is going in full swing as the Portuguese attempts to construct a formidable side for himself so that he can go toe-to-toe with their arch rivals, Celtic, next season onwards. Rangers were paralysed for a major part of the last campaign owing to their self-inflicted woes and seeing Brendan Rodgers’ outfit clinch the domestic treble in a grand manner, it goes without saying that the Gers failed to impose any sort of monumental challenge to the Celts.
Rangers, however, have miles to catch up and Caixinha isn’t unfamiliar with the gravity of the coming events as he will be thrown under the microscope in his first full season with the Glasgow-based club. One of the issues to be solved by the former Al-Gharafa boss is to bolster the apparent lack of quality in the middle of the park which has hindered the club’s progress on handful number of occasions. He has been doing a lot of chores behind the scenes and reportedly, one of the players to have fallen on his radar is Fulham’s midfielder, Kevin McDonald.
McDonald signed for the Cottagers last summer from Wolverhampton Wanderers and played an instrumental role under the tutelage of Slavisa Jokanovic as the London-based outfit acquired a play-off spot in the Championship, although they failed to earn a promotion. The 28-year-old midfielder accumulated 45 appearances in the English second division last term, scoring 3 goals and garnering 3 assists. Besides, he also made 0.6 key passes, 2 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 2.2 clearances and 0.5 blocks per game on an average with a staggering pass accuracy of 86.5% and no wonder why he is targeted by a big club like the Light Blues.
McDonald is a player with proven pedigree and his tremendous experience might render a huge boost to shake the Teddy Bears out of their apathy. A midfielder who is capable of playing right at the centre as well as a defensive midfield slot, the former Scotland U21 knits the setup of his employers meticulously with his pinpoint passes, keeps possession intact and looks to maraud forward when the situation permits. Besides, he has a perennial knack to bang goals and creates ample amount of chances for his teammates as well. McDonald’s move to Rangers should appeal him personally as well as a splendid run of form under Caixinha might enable him to earn a call to the Scottish national side, which he must be longing for.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
