Pedro Caixinha saw no place for Barrie McKay at Rangers – but his loss is the gain of former Gers boss Mark Warburton.
Rangers would have been hoping that Jamie Walker was lining up for them against his former club last Saturday.
The 24-year-old winger was indeed present as the Glasgow giants stumbled to a goalless home draw against Hearts but, much to the frustration of manager Pedro Caixinha, was clad in the away side’s maroon kit rather than Rangers’ royal blue.
Rangers have been linked relentlessly with Walker throughout the transfer window but, after seeing three bids turned down due to their refusal to meet Hearts’ £1 million asking price, the Daily Record report that there is no new bid in the offing just yet.
As such, Rangers are light on the left – which makes Barrie McKay’s superb start to life at Nottingham Forest all the more difficult to bear.
McKay may have been one of the most naturally talented players in The Gers squad but, as soon as Caixinha replaced Mark Warburton in the spring, the 22-year-old’s future was cast into doubt.
Left out of crucial clashes with Celtic and criticised publically for a perceived lack of consistency, Rangers eventually sold McKay to Warburton’s new employers Forest for a minimal fee of just £500,000 (BBC)– a mere fraction of the price he should realistically have been worth in today’s market.
And, in his first few weeks at the City Ground, McKay has wasted no time reminding Rangers what they are missing. He’s scored two goals and laid on two assists in his first four Championship appearances, sealing an impressive 2-1 win against Middlesbrough on Saturday to move Mark Warburton’s side into the top six.
Already, McKay looks like one of the season’s most astute signings and, at 22, he is only going to get better. Many Rangers fans were left baffled by the club’s decision to let the talented youngster leave for pocket change and hindsight doesn’t paint Caixinha’s lack of faith in a good light.
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