Alan Hutton has voiced concerns that Rangers' Olwethu Makhanya could be subject to a quick-fire Ibrox exit, drawing parallels with former teammate Jean-Alain Boumsong's whirlwind six-month stay in Glasgow. The centre-back has impressed since his £3million switch from Philadelphia Union last month, becoming a revelation at the heart of Derek McInnes' defence.
Makhanya's calm and composure were evident again as Rangers dominated a 3-0 derby demolition of Celtic on Sunday, with the defender keeping Hoops danger man Camilo Duran in check. While centre-back partner Manny Fernandez has suffered from lapses in concentration this term, Makhanya has remained focused, prompting memories of Boumsong for Hutton.
Boumsong deja vu
Alex McLeish secured Boumsong on a free from Auxerre in 2004, but the Frenchman's stay in Scotland proved short-lived as he was quickly sold to Newcastle just six months later. Hutton now fears history could repeat itself with Makhanya.
He told Record Sport: "It's a real concern that Makhanya is doing so well that somebody might come in and try to pinch him in January, similarly to what happened with Boumsong." Hutton acknowledged that Rangers' model involves bringing in players, developing them, and moving them on for profit, but noted that bigger clubs are likely to target their best players.
January interest warning
Hutton added: "If he continues in this form towards January, I'm pretty sure there'll be people hovering about him, which you have to accept. If the fee is met, whatever Rangers deem acceptable, then unfortunately you're going to lose a top player." He expressed hope that Makhanya would stay, believing Rangers are building something under McInnes.
Rangers had previously accepted Newcastle's £8million offer for Boumsong, having acquired the defender on a Bosman deal months earlier. Hutton noted that while some foreign players see Rangers as a stepping stone, Makhanya has time on his side and doesn't need to rush a move.
Makhanya's impact
Hutton praised Makhanya as "one of the best signings for Rangers for a long time," highlighting his composure on the ball and one-v-one defending. He noted that Rangers have kept four clean sheets in their last five games, indicating the team is trending in the right direction.
James Penrice was another standout performer for McInnes, man-marking Benjamin Nygren out of the game after a surprise midfield switch. Hutton was impressed by the 27-year-old's ceaseless running, suggesting it should worry left-back rival Tuur Rommens and those ahead of him in the Scotland pecking order.
Hutton said: "It was incredible, he covered every blade of grass. I just feel that's the type of player that Rangers should have signed years ago." He added that Penrice has been "absolutely brilliant" since coming into the team and is currently "very hard to dislodge" from the starting lineup.
Hutton expressed surprise that Penrice wasn't included in the new Scotland manager's squad, stating: "He's unlucky to miss out. It is a strong area of the pitch for Scotland, but if he continues the way he's playing now, I don't think you can leave him out." He believes Penrice's consistent performances will ensure he gets monitored.
