Summary Philippe Clement's young signings have brought scoring prowess to Rangers, setting the stage for future success. Arias could be a valuable addition to the team, offering versatility, creativity, and experience. McCausland's progress is noted, but Rangers are eyeing Arias as an upgrade for the right-wing position.
Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement enjoyed some success during the January transfer window, bringing in three new players.
While Oscar Cortes may have only played seven times before suffering an injury, both Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande have made a solid impression.
At the time of writing, the pair have scored six goals between them, giving the Light Blues something extra going forward throughout the second half of the season.
The trio are all aged 22 or under, proving that Clement’s transfer strategy is to sign players who are on the cusp of hitting their peak, before potentially selling them on for big profits after a few years in Glasgow.
Despite seven Premiership matches left in the current campaign, it looks as though the 50-year-old is looking ahead to next season already…
Rangers transfer news
According to reports in Colombia, Rangers are just one in a growing list of teams to be keeping an eye on winger Jhon Arias ahead of the summer transfer window.
If Clement wants to secure his signature, he will have to fend off competition from the likes of Atlético Madrid, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley.
This could certainly prove to be a fairly tough move to get off the ground, especially with Fluminense valuing Arias at around €10m (£8.5m), along with asking for future add-ons to the deal.
Unless the Gers win the league title and secure automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League next season, the financial aspect of this deal will surely make it a non-starter.
If they were able to sign him, however, Clement would be signing a player who is close to hitting his peak, while also being an upgrade on Ross McCausland.
Ross McCausland’s Rangers statistics
The Northern Irishman has finally made his breakthrough from academy star to first-team regular this season. Having made his senior debut for the Gers during the final game of the 2021/22 campaign, it took until October last year for him to showcase his talents for the first team due to an injury crisis on the right wing.
Under Clement, McCausland has shone in spells, scoring twice and recording three assists for the club, although he still has plenty to work on.
Europa League
Premiership
1
1
0
2
0.4
1.4
0
2
0.8
0.8
Among his teammates, the winger currently ranks fifth for key passes per game (1.4) in the top flight, along with ranking ninth for successful dribbles per game (0.8) and tenth for goals and assists (three), clearly showcasing his talents.
The more he plays, the better McCausland will get, but the right-wing area is a position that Clement will be desperate to bolster ahead of next season, especially if a passage to the Champions League is secured.
Arias would be an ideal signing and could be an upgrade on what McCausland has to offer, giving the Gers a boost out wide.
Jhon Arias’ style of play
Throughout his senior career, the 26-year-old has operated in a number of different positions, showing wonderful versatility.
While usually deployed on either wing, Arias has also been known to play as an attacking midfielder and even as a centre-forward.
According to WhoScored, Arias has a plethora of strengths which include key passes, crosses, dribbles and taking set pieces, which prove he can be a major attacking threat down the right flank should he move to Rangers.
The Colombian's creativity allows him to create plenty of chances, while he tends to get fouled often, as per WhoScored, as defenders simply cannot keep up with him during matches.
Jhon Arias’ statistics for Fluminense
Since joining the Brazilian side back in 2021, the winger has made 155 appearances for Fluminense, scoring 33 goals and registering 36 assists during that time period.
This works out at a goal involvement every 2.2 matches, showcasing his potential at not only finding the back of the net, but also in setting up plenty of chances for his teammates.
Last season, Fluminense won the Copa Libertadores for the first time, and the 26-year-old played a key role in this historic triumph.
Not only did he rank third out of the whole squad for goals and assists in the competition (five), but the Colombian also ranked third for big chances created (three), first for key passes per game (2.4) and for successful dribbles per game (3.3), demonstrating his attacking qualities throughout their winning campaign.
His dribbling stat is particularly impressive, being able to attack opposition defences with ease, and knowing that he will successfully work his way past them.
Indeed, when compared to positional peers playing at a similar level (as per FBref), Arias ranks in the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (3.2) over the previous 365 days, while even ranking in the top 7% for progressive carries per 90 (5). This is the sort of player that Clement would love to have in his first-team squad.
While McCausland has shown glimpses of his potential this term, his lack of goal involvement has been a slight concern, although this should get better with age and experience.
Arias scored 12 throughout the whole of 2023, and he was recently praised by the Copa Club founder Nathan Joyes, who said: “Absolutely love Jhon Arias.
“An unsung hero for Fluminense last year, who’s capable of goals, assists and changing games. Would love to see him in Europe, and there appears to be a fair few links for the Colombian.”
It appears the Colombian has all the required attributes to be a huge hit in Scotland should Rangers manage to pull off the unthinkable and bring him to Ibrox.
Competition is fierce for a player who has enjoyed a wonderful stint at Fluminense, and it looks as though he is targeting success in Europe in the near future.
At Rangers, not only will he win trophies, but the winger will get the chance to play in European competition, testing his abilities to the limit.
It would be a sublime signing by Clement if he can work his magic, although much will depend on whether the Light Blues can claim a first league title since 2021 in the next few weeks.
