OPINION
As if there has not been enough brilliant news for Bears in recent days, more came today as Jamie Murphy was spotted joining the Rangers squad flying out to Tenerife for their winter training camp.
The winger was ruled out for the entire season after breaking down with an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Kilmarnock back in August.
Steven Gerrard has delivered a series of encouraging update about Murphy in recent weeks but his appearance at Glasgow airport today, as cited by the Daily Record’s live transfer blog (Monday, 9.55am) is the most tangible evidence yet that he is close to a comeback.
The warm-weather camp should provide the ideal environment for Rangers and their staff to gauge how close the wide man is to a return.
Signed from Brighton in the summer window after impressing on loan in the second half of last season, the wide man is a key player who would slot into Gerrard’s first choice XI if everyone was fit and available for selection.
He creates and scores goals, and has the creativity and final-third quality in tight spaces, to lay on opportunities for Alfredo Morelos and new boy Jermain Defoe.
His Rangers record – which dates back to joining on an initial loan last January – is very impressive. In 27 appearances for the club, the former Motherwell man has scored six goals and supplied 13 assists.
His competitors for the wide roles in Gerrard’s side, such as Daniel Candeias, Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield and Glenn Middleton, cannot compete with the numbers of the Ibrox assist king.
It is hugely encouraging for the club that such a creative player could be flying down the wing far earlier than anticipated.