Kris Boyd has identified Dan Neil as the Rangers summer signing who has impressed him most, overlooking defender Olwethu Makhanya.
Boyd's standout pick
The former Ibrox striker highlighted the midfielder's influence following his arrival from Sunderland, with Neil netting a double in the 3-0 win over Celtic.
Boyd told Seven, powered by Ladbrokes: "Dan Neil has been excellent since he's come in; he ran the show at Ibrox and he's one I'm really looking forward to seeing more of this season."
Rebuild under McInnes
Rangers underwent another rebuild last summer as Derek McInnes ushered in a new era, with a host of new faces arriving at Ibrox.
Boyd acknowledged the scale of the changes, saying: "For Rangers, when you look at the number of players that came in over the summer… it's a lot. It was exactly the same last season, and they've already moved a lot of last year's arrivals on, so the key sooner or later has to be stability. You can't keep chopping and changing players at the rate Rangers have been doing in recent transfer windows."
Defensive solidity and competition
Boyd also praised the team's defensive record, noting: "Defensively, Rangers look really solid; I think that's maybe six clean sheets in seven now. They look strong, and there's competition for places which is absolutely key."
He added: "You need someone breathing down your neck if you're playing for a successful team. If you've got that, you're going to perform better in training and that usually leads to better performances on the pitch. That's where Derek McInnes is at right now; he's now settled on a team and he'll be hoping he can build on that."
Boyd also singled out James Penrice and goalkeeper Ivor Pandur for praise, saying: "The majority of signings have impressed me to be honest… James Penrice is another one. The goalkeeper [Ivor Pandur] looks like he's been Rangers' goalkeeper for a number of years already… he looks pretty safe."
He concluded: "I'm sure Derek will feel there are still names that can do a lot more, but the most important thing for me is the competition for places."
