Glasgow Rangers have begun life under Philippe Clement excellently, going undefeated across four games in the Premiership and the Europa League and while it is still early days yet, there is some positivity returning to the club.
The Belgian has brought out the best in several players, while Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers even got on the scoresheet in the 5-0 drubbing of Dundee in midweek.
Indeed, that away victory was the Gers' highest outside Ibrox since a 6-1 battering of Motherwell in October 2021 and it has highlighted just how disappointing the club have been since then, struggling with their identity on the pitch.
Clement is already giving the Light Blues an identity and his playing style is favoured towards fighting for the whole 90 minutes and being as relentless as possible.
The focus now will be to continue to give the players confidence and with a chance to move into the League Cup final should they beat Hearts at Hampden on Sunday, the good times could be on their way sooner rather than later.
A key focus for the former Club Brugge manager will be his approach to the January transfer window, as the Glasgow side urgently need some improvements with regard to their squad depth.
The previous two managers – Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale – did not exactly conduct the best business in their respective transfer windows, and it looks as though the club are paying for it now.
The duo signed players who were seemingly not up to the standard required for success at Rangers, while allowing a few first-team players either leave on the cheap, or when they could still have offered something. Cedric Itten is a prime example of both of these factors, especially with his recent form alongside a huge value increase since leaving Scotland.
Cedric Itten’s transfer value at Rangers
The Swiss striker joined the club back in the summer of 2020, with Steven Gerrard spending £2.7m to lure him to Ibrox.
He had scored 31 goals during the previous two seasons at FC St Gallen and after failing to win any silverware for the second year in succession, Gerrard was keen to bolster his attacking options.
Although he managed to score just six goals during his maiden season at the club, he helped them win their first league title in a decade and his transfer valued soared to €7.2m (£6.2m) and it looked as though with some time, he could turn into a solid piece of business for the Gers.
He spent the first half of the following season on loan at Greuther Fürth in the Bundesliga, scoring against Bayern Munich and during the January transfer window, Van Bronckhorst recalled him in order to bolster his options.
The Dutchman claimed that Itten had “different qualities” to that of Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos and it looked as though he was set for a reprieve.
It proved to be a false dawn however, as he scored just twice and his future looked bleak heading into the summer transfer window.
Cedric Itten’s transfer value at Young Boys
The Swiss striker was deemed surplus to requirements and was moved on back to Switzerland for a fee of just £1.5m, which was over a million pounds less than the initial outlay just two years prior, and he has kicked on ever since, proving the move has been successful.
The centre-forward was in sensational form during his first season back in his homeland, helping Young Boys win both the top flight title and the Swiss Cup, scoring 23 goals and registering 12 goals across all competitors, and it looked as though the Gers made a big mistake.
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The 26-year-old demonstrated his ruthlessness by missing only three big chances in the Swiss Super League while creating seven big chances and scoring once every 89 minutes.
Itten is proving that last season was no one hit wonder as he has scored four league goals in ten appearances, of which just four have been starts.
He currently ranks second across the squad for goals and assists (five) while also ranking second for big chances created (three) and scoring frequency (a goal every 105 minutes) and this has ensured that his transfer value has risen dramatically in recent months.
According to Football Transfers, Itten is now currently valued at €8.1m (£7m) and with an expected transfer value of up to €10.2m (£8.8m), it looks as though the Light Blues have suffered a major blunder by selling him for just £1.5m.
Cedric Itten has outscored every Rangers' player since leaving
Such is his impact back in Switzerland, Itten has outscored every single Rangers' player since he left during the 2022 summer transfer window.
Both James Tavernier and Antonio Colak scored 18 goals each last term, yet the 23 that Itten plundered trumps both of their totals by a decent margin.
The Rangers' captain has added another eight goals during the current campaign, yet the former St Gallen forward has scored seven goals across all competitions so far and this means he has found the back of the net on 30 occasions in just 56 matches, which works out as a goal every 1.86 matches, a stunning tally.
Clement could only dream about having a player who could give him a goal return like that and the mismanagement of the Swiss international striker means the club have let another talented gem through their net.
He may have endured a tough time in Glasgow but his form since moving on from Ibrox suggests that they ditched him far too soon, given his impressive goalscoring record.
Hopefully, the Belgian will ensure the likes of Danilo are given proper chances in the starting XI from which to showcase their talents once fully fit, and he could certainly be a game-changer when it comes to finding a proper out-and-out centre forward.
Itten has shone since leaving Scotland and in turn, his valuation has soared, meaning the Gers have missed out on a major profit should he sell for a high price.
They fumbled badly on the 6 foot 2 machine and, hopefully, this will be the last of such mistakes.