Glasgow Rangers look entirely rejuvenated in just a few short weeks of Philippe Clement being in charge, since he arrived at the start of last month.
The difference is stark. Under Michael Beale this season, Rangers played 14 matches in all competitions, winning eight and losing four, while the Ibrox side scored 23 goals during those games.
Under Clement, the Gers have won six out of their previous seven ties, drawing the other, and they have scored 18 goals in the process.
It does not take much to work out that the Light Blues are currently in a far better place during the current international break than where they were at back in October, as the Belgian has turned around their fortunes.
Beale did not help himself with a lack of identity on the pitch or with his questionable signings off it. The club spent money on signing Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers to bolster their attack, yet they have been repaid by the duo scoring just eight goals between them since the start of the 2023/24 season.
Their early struggles did not exactly help the Gers get off to a good start in the Premiership, while they failed to reach the Champions League group stages too.
Not all of Beale’s signings struggled. Jack Butland has been a commanding presence in goal for the club, while Abdallah Sima has been effective on the left wing, filling the void left by Ryan Kent.
Danilo could arguably turn into one of his finest signings, however, as the Brazilian is finally beginning to show his class under Clement of late.
Danilo’s market value at Feyenoord
After Alfredo Morelos departed the club during the summer, Beale desperately required a new striker and Danilo was earmarked as one of his main targets.
The 24-year-old had impressed during his spell in the Netherlands, playing for both Ajax and Feyenoord during the previous two seasons.
The Brazilian scored ten Eredivisie goals for Feyenoord last term as they won their first league title since the 2016/17 campaign and this form clearly made Beale sit up and take note.
He even ranked second across the squad for goals and assists (13) along with ranking second for scoring frequency (a goal every 134 minutes) and he was an effective option in the final third.
When compared to positional peers, the striker ranked in the top 2% for touches in the opposition box per 90 (7.24) while also ranking in the top 5% for total shots per 90 (3.78) and in the top 11% for successful take ons per 90 (1.48), clearly indicating that he was impressive when compared to players in a similar league.
Just before he left the club to join Rangers, his valuation was sitting at €6.5m (£5.6m) according to Football Transfers, and just a month later, he moved to Scotland for a fee in the region of £6m, with the Dutch side getting just slightly more than his market value at the time.
Danilo’s market value at Rangers
Since making the move from the Eredivisie to the Premiership, the striker demonstrated flashes of his talent under Beale, yet he was largely underused.
Across the opening 14 matches of the season, Danilo started just three times, scoring three goals. He suffered a broken cheekbone during a clash against St Johnstone and this further stalled any progress that he was making at Ibrox.
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The injury ruled him out for a few weeks, yet he has returned sharper than ever and appears to be thriving in Clement’s current tactical setup.
Across the previous seven matches, Danilo has not only found the back of the net on three occasions, but he has grabbed four assists too, showing that he has a selfless side also to set up his teammates for goals.
This all-around ability could prove to be crucial if the Gers want to win silverware this season and the Brazilian can not only lead the line well, but also link up with those playing behind him.
Following the 0-0 draw against Sparta Prague last month, Clement praised the centre-forward for his cameo, saying: “Danilo has been out for a while and not played 90 minutes for a long time – he looked bright and we need to focus on making him stronger. It is a work in progress.”
He is slowly getting fitter, and he gave arguably his finest performance for the club in a midweek tie against Dundee a few weeks ago.
Against the Dens Park outfit, Danilo managed to get on the scoresheet, but he also missed four big chances and could easily have scored four or five if he was slightly more clinical.
Whilst it would have been better if he had been able to finish off those chances, it was a sign that the Brazilian gem knows how to get in the right positions to create opportunities for himself.
The striker also made four key passes, succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts and lost possession just three times during the whole match, suggesting that he should be the player who Clement starts as his number nine.
These recent performances indicate that Beale severely underused the former Ajax striker and this was a glaring mistake. His recent performances have also seen his market value shoot up, which indicates that the club have hit the jackpot.
According to Football Transfers, Danilo is now currently worth €8.6m (£7.5m) and if he manages to establish himself as the main striker at the club, there is no doubt that this value will continue to rise.
Although £6m was a lot to shell out on a striker during the summer transfer window, it was clear that a replacement for Morelos needed to be found, otherwise the Gers would struggle majorly.
Of course, the start to the season wasn’t as good as expected and it has taken for a new manager to be brought in for the Light Blues to attempt and salvage their campaign.
Clement is doing a wonderful job so far, but with the honeymoon period over, the supporters will now be expecting these types of performances every week.
Utilising the 5 foot 8 dynamo up front on a regular basis will allow this Gers side to score plenty of goals and the onus for him now is to kick on from this solid base and start scoring every game.
The Light Blues have a wonderful talent in their squad, and in the coming years, he could make them a massive profit in the transfer window, which is why Beale hit the jackpot by securing his services.
