Olwethu Makhanya's £3 million transfer to Rangers has been hailed as a major step forward by former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune. The South African defender has already been tested in an Old Firm derby since his summer arrival from Philadelphia Union. He joins a team that has taken 24 points from 11 games this season, with a record of seven wins, three draws and one loss.
Fortune, who also played for Atletico Madrid, believes the move is a significant upgrade for the player. He stated that European football represents a bigger stage than Major League Soccer, where Makhanya previously played. "I watched Olwethu Makhanya a little bit when he was in MLS before, and his transfer to Rangers has been a great move for him," Fortune said.
He argued that securing such a transfer is part of the process needed to raise South African football. Fortune specifically highlighted the intense pressure of the Old Firm fixture as invaluable experience for a player's development. Makhanya has integrated into a Rangers side that sits second in the Premiership with 24 points from 11 games. The team is unbeaten in its last five matches, a run of three wins and two draws that includes the defender's late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Hearts. That key goal came on Saturday 28 October, assisted by Badredine Bouanani, to secure a point away from home.
That goal, scored in the 89th minute at Tynecastle, demonstrated his immediate impact. Rangers' next challenge is an away trip to face St Mirren on Saturday 7 November as they continue their title push, trailing leaders Celtic by four points. The team's recent form, with three wins and two draws from the last five, has been built on a solid defence that has conceded only nine goals all season while scoring 19. Their most recent victory was a 1-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday 31 October, with the team's top scorer this season, R. Naderi, netting his fifth goal of the campaign. Makhanya's adaptation to Scottish football will be key for manager Derek McInnes as the squad prepares for the busy festive schedule.
Background and full detail: uk.sports.yahoo.com
