Rangers paid £2.5m to lure Pena from Mexico – the biggest fee since they signed Nikica Jelavic in 2010.
Rangers made a real statement of intent in the transfer market this summer.
Graham Dorrans, a fully fledged Scotland international in the prime of his career, looked an excellent signing from Norwich City. Meanwhile, Rangers nabbed Aberdeen’s captain Ryan Jack and also completed the intriguing addition of veteran Portuguese centre-back Bruno Alves, a European Championship winner just a year previously.
It was the signing of Carlos Pena, however, that perhaps best epitomised Rangers’ ambition. After all, the Mexican cost £2.5 million when he arrived from Guadalajara in the summer – making him the club’s most expensive signing since Nikica Jelavic joined for £4 million from Rapid Vienna seven years ago.
Pena worth the pesos
And while Pena endured a slow start to life in Glasgow, pilloried after looking out of his depth in an Old Firm clash with Celtic last month, the 19-cap international is finally starting to show Rangers fans that he’s worth the money.
Rangers have been crying out for goal threat from midfield since their return to the top flight in 2016, and Pena’s performance against St Johnstone on Friday night suggest he could provide exactly that.
He opened the scoring with a stabbed finish from a James Tavernier cross, following an intelligently timed late run into the penalty area. St Johnstone must have thought they were suffering from déjà vu in the second half, meanwhile, as Tavernier again crossed for Pena to convert at the far post, this time with his head.
On this evidence, the Mexican midfielder is the player Rangers have been crying out for since they escaped the lower leagues. If he ensures this standout performance is a regular occurrence, that £2.5 million fee will look more than justified.
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