Mark Warburton signed Jon Toral at both Brentford and Rangers and it would be no surprise to see him move to Nottingham Forest from Arsenal this summer.
At least Jon Toral signed off with a goal. The second strike of the Spaniard’s five-month loan at Ibrox ensured Rangers ended the season on a winning note against St Johnstone on Sunday.
Nonetheless, it is difficult to shake the feeling that Arsenal-owned midfielder didn’t quite live up to expectations above the border. Unlike fellow January addition Emerson Hyndman, whose creativity and eye for goal caught the eye initially, Toral will not be remembered with too much nostalgia in years to come.
And this is despite the 21-year-old insisting that a short-term stint in Rangers blue means he will return to the Emirates a far better player this summer, as reported by the Daily Record.
Playing in a deeper role than during previous loans at Brentford and Birmingham City, Toral’s loan spell is perhaps best described as indifferent. Not bad in any way shape or form, just not particularly notable.
So we meet again?
Therefore, perhaps the man who brought him to both Rangers and Brentford should think twice about attempting yet another reunion this summer. His new club, Nottingham Forest, have been tipped as a potential destination if Arsenal once again decide the farm the former Barcelona prospect out next season.
However, there are areas in the Forest squad in far greater need of reinforcement.
Veteran midfielder Chris Cohen shone under Warburton and has been rewarded with a new contract. And the equally evergreen David Vaughan has followed the captain in committing his future to the club after stepping to the fore and spearheading Forest’s successful survival push.
Furthermore, Ben Osborn, Zach Clough and Jamie Ward provide plenty of thrust and creativity in the final third, albeit the former (below) has been linked with a move elsewhere.
Therefore, on his Rangers form, it is difficult to see where Toral would fit into Warburton’s starting XI. The 21-year-old must ensure regular minutes if he is to really progress a promising career.
Although there is no guarantee of that at the City Ground.
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