£9M on Andreas Skov Olsen is no longer a problem for Rangers | OneFootball

With Andreas Skov Olsen officially unveiled before kick off last night as a Rangers player, we must now turn attention to the details of the deal. As Ibrox Noise reported recently, the big bonus is it is a loan with an option to buy.

Why the deal structure matters

That option to buy, as we have repeated many times, is what we should have done with Bojan Miovski. We did not. We paid upfront. Admittedly, half the fee comes before appearances and then doubles. But it is still money we have ultimately wasted on a gamble. We have not done that this time.

The £9M figure confirmed

This time with Skov Olsen, it is a loan with option to buy. We will have first priority if we are impressed and want to purchase. As widely reported yesterday, we now know the fee. £9M is how much it will cost Rangers to secure this player permanently.

Rangers can now play at this level again

The funny thing is that thanks to the signings of Chermiti and others, fans know we can play here again. These are the numbers Rangers used to spend back in the day. We did not have the resources then. We fell into financial trouble as a result.

Why this era is different

Now, with the 49ers, FFP, and careful fiscal management, Rangers can afford these players. Once upon a time, we could not even dream of this. The idea that Skov Olsen costs £9M is almost of no consequence now. If we are impressed, we will sign him.

Rangers now versus Rangers then

This is the difference between Rangers now and Rangers then. Rangers now see £9M and decide he is worth it. We will happily pay it. That was never an option in the old days. It was an alien concept.

Comparing spending across Scotland

Even Celtic, despite having money, rarely do this. They have only signed one or two at that level. One was Engels at £11M. Another was Ntcham at £9M some years ago.

Rangers have done it before

Rangers have done it twice ourselves. £12M on Tore Andre Flo. £10M on Youssouf Chermiti. The Chermiti signing may not be great value. But it proves the spending power has returned.

The money was always there

Ryan Kent was £7.5M. The money has always been there. It just has not been well managed at times. Nevertheless, £9M is the price to sign Skov Olsen permanently.

Why fans are already sold

He is already our favourite player. That is partly because we finally have him. We wanted him three years ago. It is also because his unveiling was pure superstar. We loved it. It was the best thing the club has done in years.

Will Rangers make it permanent?

Will we sign him? It depends on what he delivers on the pitch. He is a borderline world class player and he is a top talent. He is absolutely capable.

His career path explained

As we explained previously, he has played for four key clubs. Nordsjaelland in Denmark. Club Bruges in Belgium. Wolfsburg in Germany. Bologna in Italy. He thrived at two. He struggled at two.

Why Belgium suited him best

Italy and Germany did not suit his playstyle. They did not suit his personality. Club Bruges absolutely did. Bruges are the closest comparison to Rangers.

Handling pressure at a big club

The pressure to win at Bruges is intense. It is not quite as colossal as Rangers. We discussed before how Philippe Clement shone at Bruges. He struggled with the pressure at Rangers.

Expectations and environment

Bruges are a major Belgian club. They are expected title winners. They have around 18 or 19 titles. But the expectations differ slightly for a manager and a player.

Why Rangers should suit him

Skov Olsen will deal with a league he knows well. He has been aware of Rangers for a long time. He finally gets his move to a gigantic club.

The final verdict

He should shine here. Hopefully it becomes permanent in the summer. £9M could prove very well spent.