Borna Barisic is already justifying Declan John’s controversial Rangers exit

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Many Rangers fans were left unhappy when the Scottish Premiership giants let Declan John join Swansea City in the transfer window.

Rangers’ decision to let Declan John leave for Swansea City did not go down too well among some sections of the Gers support.

The speedy Welshman was one of the club’s better performers in a difficult 2017/18 season and only moved to Ibrox on a permanent basis in January after an impressive initial loan spell. 23-year-old John made the left-back position his own and ended the campaign with three goals and four assists.

So you can see why the decision to let him return to South Wales, where he signed a three-year deal with Swansea, was a contentious one.

But Borna Barisic did his best on his Rangers debut to justify perhaps the most controversial decision Gerrard has made as the manager of the Scottish Premiership club. The Croatian international arrived at Ibrox as John’s replacement after impressing in the Europa League qualifying clash with Osijek.

And Barisic wasted little time in showing why Gerrard brought him in and sent John out.

The 25-year-old’s pinpoint deliveries caused no end of problems in Osijek colours and Rangers’ second in the 2-0 win against St Mirren, headed home by Connor Goldson, came from a typically terrific Barisic ball.

Already, he has shown that he can do what John could not – provide a regular source of assists from the flank. Alongside James Tavernier, Rangers could now have the two most technically gifted full-backs in Scotland.