Scott Arfield’s former manager John Hughes has tipped the Canadian international to be crucial to Rangers’ bid to catch Celtic at the top of the Premiership table next season as he predicts signings for both clubs.
The Hoops are on course to pick up not only another consecutive league title but to seal another domestic treble, having already got the Scottish League Cup under their belt.
With the Gers lagging in second, Hughes says Steven Gerrard needs, and will get, four new signings at Ibrox, with a rebuild also expected at Celtic Park.
He also named Arfield as a manager’s dream, having worked with the former Burnley man at Falkirk, and insisted he would be crucial to their chances of toppling their fierce rivals.
He told the Scottish Sun: “I love Scott Arfield. I have been on record before as saying he is the kind of player who will end up being the name first on Stevie Gerrard’s team sheet because he is a managers’ dream. It’s the way he trains as well as the way he plays. Scotty trains every day like it is his last day at training. He is at it all the time, and never slacks off.
“Celtic are still way out in front. But Celtic have a wee bit of rebuilding to do themselves. Dedryck Boyata’s probably leaving and there’s a bit of speculation about Kieran Tierney.
“In terms of Rangers, they are still three or four short and that’s what they need to find — and they will. With the contacts Steven has and the pull of Rangers, they will get in the three or four they need. Then it will be all to play for. Gerrard will know what he has to do and whatever he does, Scott Arfield is going to be pivotal to it, 100 per cent.”
Opinion
There is no doubting that Arfield, on his day, is one of the most talented midfielders in Scottish football right now and his Premier League experience shines through on a regular basis. He makes the game look easy and it should come as no surprise to see him tipped to be absolutely pivotal to the club’s chances of regaining the Premiership title. After all, that is why Rangers snapped him up on a free last summer. Can the Gers really pull four top class signings out the bag this year and will that really be all it takes to catch Celtic? Unfortunately for Rangers there is a lot more needed if they are going to push for the title throughout the season. There are certain areas of the squad which need upgrading and that is a task easier said than done. One man who does not need replacing is Arfield and you can be sure that Celtic fans would not mind him being part of their squad – other than the fact he plays for Rangers, of course.