Steven Gerrard raised more than a few eyebrows in securing the signature of talented 20-year-old defender Calvin Bassey.
It is a name that few would have recognised but as more details emerged it seemed an understandable move.
One of the weaknesses of Gerrard's side last season was the dip in form when rampaging left-back Borna Barisic was injured.
Replacements Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan are capable players but neither can replicate the attacking threat posed by the brilliant Croatia international.
In signing a young, hungry star on a deal that represents only a fraction of his true worth thanks to the cross-border loophole, Ross Wilson was acquiring not just an able deputy but the future at the position.
The general assessment is that Bassey's capture would offer an able deputy for next season but comments from Gerrard on the club's TV channel have suggested that he may yet have a bigger role to play.
Gerrard told Rangers TV : "In terms of Calvin Bassey, I think he’ll surprise a few. There’s not many who will know his name, like a Hagi for example.
"We’ve tracked him for some time, we’ve watched him a lot and I think he’s going to come in and surprise a lot of people because he’s a fantastic talent.
"He’s big, he’s strong, he’s quick, he’s aggressive, he’s excellent in one-on-one situations, he can play in two or three different positions, he plays with a smile on his face and he is your modern day powerful full back.
"I’m looking forward to see how people take to him because I think when they’ve watched him quite a bit, they’ll be as excited as I am."
While the defender has spent most of his career at full-back he is also comfortable in the centre and that is an aspect of his play that could be of interest.
Celtic's season turned on their switch to a 3-5-2 after their December defeat at Ibrox prompted Neil Lennon's calculated gamble on a new system. It paid off big time with a run of form that opened up a 13-point lead over their bitter rivals at the point of lockdown.
Teams used to Celtic setting up with three attackers were suddenly faced with a new problem and couldn't find an answer.
Gerrard has been criticised in some quarters for sticking to variations of 4-3-3 but he did introduce to a back three once before, against Motherwell in a 3-3 draw at Fir Park.
It worked in an attacking sense that day but clearly there were issues with defensive statbility.
At that point Rangers lacked naturally left-sided defensive players but now they have both Swedish international Filip Helander and Bassey.
Given Helander and Connor Goldson are Gerrard's first choice pairing, Bassey could comfortably slip in alongside them in a back three.
Such a move would offer interesting possibilities, giving Ianis Hagi the number 10 role that comes most naturally, as well as the opportunity to play two up front.
From a personnel standpoint Rangers seem weakest in wide attacking areas so a move to 3-5-2 would play into the squad's current strengths.
With Bassey now in play, Gerrard has options unlike before and it will be fascinating to see if he follows Lennon's 3-5-2 blueprint to success.
