The previous cliche ‘seems like a brand new signing’ is likely to be delivered as a praise but it surely’s one which 99 per cent of gamers would gladly keep away from like a pub league sort out.
Put merely it’s an expression which solely ever accompanies a return from a prolonged, and sometimes critical, absence by means of harm.
Living proof: John Souttar final summer season at Hearts.
After combating again from a demoralising third Achilles harm which had sidelined him for 14 months the defender lastly loved an - nearly - hassle free marketing campaign to show he was nonetheless the most effective defenders within the nation.
Robbie Neilson stated it himself early on within the season. Souttar was again to his greatest and felt like a brand new signing.
The defender’s kind quickly noticed him again within the Scotland squad and on his technique to Rangers.
Which is the place the 25-year-old’s story can now act as a supply of inspiration to a participant who would possibly very effectively discover himself proper up towards Souttar for a spot in Gio van Bronckhorst ’s defence subsequent season.
Nikola Katic. The forgotten man of Ibrox and maybe the one man within the dressing room who by no means felt invincible throughout Rangers’ unbeaten run to the Premiership title a yr in the past.
The Croat seemed to be on the peak of his powers within the weeks earlier than the Covid disaster introduced the world to a halt in March 2020.
A successful aim within the New Yr Outdated Agency derby at Parkhead had elevated the younger central defender onto a brand new stage of adoration from the Ibrox trustworthy.
Then simply because the Scottish sport was getting ready for its return, and Rangers have been limbering up for his or her first title in a decade, Katic was struck down with a freak coaching floor harm that left him nursing a cruciate rupture which might take a yr to restore.
Harsh doesn’t begin to describe it.
However simply as covid mixed with a cruciate harm can throw a profession right into a nosedive, so a change of supervisor can shortly drag it again from the depths.
Katic hasn’t featured in a prime group sport for Rangers since March 2020.
Nevertheless a spell again in his homeland with Hajduk Cut up, whom he helped to a second-placed end within the Croatian league with 21 appearances, has introduced a way of confidence that his troubles could possibly be up to now.
Phrase is Katic will return to Rangers this summer season with Cut up deciding towards an choice to purchase the defender.
Which leaves him with a yr on his Ibrox contract and a brand new boss to impress.
With Connor Goldson wanting prone to have performed his final sport in gentle blue then it’s absolutely a no brainer for Gio van Bronckhorst to take a forensic have a look at Katic’s qualities this summer season.
Truly, it will be a dereliction of obligation NOT to provide the Croat each probability to show his value.
Earlier than harm struck the 6ft 4in stopper was proving to be one of many strongest defenders within the air in Scotland, a body-on-the-line kind who won't have had Goldson’s, or for that matter Souttar’s, vary of passing however was a strong presence in each containers,
Given the advance in Calvin Bassey’s sport beneath van Bronckhorst who’s to say Katic can’t equally attain the subsequent stage if given the possibility.
He’s nonetheless solely 25 - a month youthful than Souttar - and if he wants any inspiration that his greatest years nonetheless lie forward of him then who higher than Souttar?
One is a brand new signing. The opposite would possibly simply really feel prefer it.
However collectively they might resolve a Connor Goldson sized drawback with out having to make a dent in the summertime switch kitty.