Jack Hendry has revealed he was delighted to give Fashion Sakala advice on moving to Rangers ahead of his summer switch.
And he's backed the Zambian international to overcome his early injury issues and become a 'shrewd' signing for the Ibrox club over the course of the season.
Sakala offers something different to the rest of the Rangers strikers with his pace and Hendry expects that to be a big part of his game once more in Scotland.
The pair played alongside each other at KV Oostende in Belgium last season with Sakala earning his move to Rangers and Hendry eventually joining Belgian giants Club Brugge.
And Hendry has already been watching his old pal closely and expects him to 'thrive' in front of a full Ibrox and believes the level of coaching he'll get at Rangers will make him even better.
Steven Gerrard was quick to snap Sakala up despite interest from England and elsewhere in Europe, and Hendry admits he did tell him all about Rangers.
He told the Daily Record: “Getting Fashion on a free could be a really, really shrewd signing from Rangers.
“Rangers are getting a player who has already shown that he will work extremely hard for the team.
“He has great pace and is really quick and that is a huge weapon but there is so much more to his game.
“He showed at KV Oostende last season that when he gets a chance he will take it.
“Fashion is also a player who excites the fans and gets them off their seats.
“I have to say he will thrive in that sort of atmosphere, playing in front of a full Ibrox crowd.
“Fashion is a great person. He is very humble and he will give his all. The conversations I had with Fashion were really positive and I told him to go and grab this opportunity.
“Rangers are a massive football club and from what I have heard the coaching staff there are excellent.
“I just relayed to him how big a club Rangers is and what an opportunity it was for him.
“I also told him a bit about Glasgow. I then left Fashion to make his own decision.
“But he knew how big a club Rangers are and it was a massive opportunity for him. I fully expect him to grasp it with both hands.”
Rangers coaching staff includes Michael Beale and Tom Culshaw who are both regularly praised for how they work on the training ground.
And Hendry reckons that will be big for Sakala, as he admits the striker does still have stuff to work on despite his obvious talents.
He added: “Fashion’s pace was massive for KV and the way we played last season.
“We played in quite a defensive style and then hit on the break and Fashion was perfect for that. We got a lot of joy from his avenue.
“It will be brilliant for Fashion to go and work with a coaching staff of that calibre.
“Fashion has got a bit of his game to work on but Rangers look to be a good place to go and do that.
“I am sure he will keep learning and getting better and better. I am in no doubt he will kick on.”
