Rangers manager Derek McInnes has expressed confidence in Nigerian defender Emmanuel Fernandez. He believes Fernandez can take on a bigger role for the Scottish club in the 2026/27 season. This support comes after Fernandez had a solid debut season at Ibrox.
Fernandez joined Rangers from Petersburg last summer. He quickly became an important player for the team, scoring six goals in 33 games. This was despite some doubts about his arrival. Unfortunately, Rangers did not win the Scottish Premiership title.
In an interview with Rangers View, McInnes talked about the pressure Fernandez and fellow young player Youssef Chermiti face. Both players joined the club with high expectations due to their transfer fees.
"Both of them are relatively young, and they came with a lot of expectations on them with the price tag and the kind of profile," McInnes said.
He added that every player who joins Rangers is expected to compete for trophies. But he understands that younger players need time to grow.
"I am pretty sure when you speak to these lads and everybody who signs for Rangers, they should all have that kind of inherent feeling that we are here to win things and be successful. But there is also, at that age, a development process," he said.
McInnes noted that both Fernandez and Chermiti showed flashes of their talent last season. He urged them to deliver those performances more regularly.
"Both lads, at their best last season, showed their real quality. The challenge for them and for me is to get their best more often. When they are on top of their game, both have got so much to offer at both ends of the pitch, and I think that hopefully we can see that," McInnes said.
Fernandez is keen to build on his strong debut season. He aims to continue growing as a key player for Rangers before the new season starts.
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