Glasgow Rangers secured what could be a season-turning result against St Johnstone on Sunday, as it allowed the Ibrox side to jump to the summit of the Premiership table.
Given that the Light Blues were trailing by eight points after just seven matches, the turnaround under Philippe Clement has been sensational, to say the least.
This has given the Light Blues an excellent chance at winning their 56th league championship, and it could well be one of the most impressive to date given the circumstances.
Clement has seen the vast majority of his squad work well together and really stand up to the challenge, with Todd Cantwell being particularly impressive in recent weeks.
These displays have seen the former Norwich City starlet enjoy an increase in market value and if he maintains his current level, this could rise even higher before the end of the season.
Todd Cantwell’s market valuation at Rangers
The Englishman has been at the club for over a year now, but this purple patch of late is perhaps the finest he has played since arriving.
Of course, he did score six times and register five assists during the second half of last season, but the Gers were never really in a title hunt and the pressure was off.
Cantwell endured a tough start to the current season, having to wait until November to score his first goal, while he also missed five matches due to a knee injury suffered while playing against Celtic in the first Old Firm clash of the season.
Since netting against Sparta Prague on matchday four of the Europa League group stages, the 25-year-old has scored another five goals and grabbed two assists in the Premiership.
Clement has deployed him regularly as a number ten playing just behind the striker, and he enjoyed one of his best performances of the season against Ross County last week.
Although he failed to register a goal contribution, the attacking midfielder was a menace to the County backline, making four key passes, hitting the woodwork, succeeding with two of his four dribbles, and was fouled five times.
These recent displays in the league have seen his market value rise slightly and, according to Football Transfers, Cantwell is now valued at €4m (£3.4m) and there is no doubt this will rise gradually as the season progresses.
While the former Premier League star has been excellent, it has been another Rangers player who has really embraced the pressure of the title race in recent weeks and led the club to some excellent wins – James Tavernier.
How much James Tavernier cost Rangers
The captain finally completed his set of domestic medals back in December when he led the Gers to a League Cup triumph against Aberdeen, and it made up for the previous two finals he had played in – losing both to Celtic.
The right-back joined the Light Blues for a fee of just £200k from Wigan in the summer of 2015 as the club were still progressing through the lower leagues and, given what he has achieved over the previous nine years, the deal must go down as one of the best in the club’s history.
With the chance of winning a second league title during his spell at the Gers, Tavernier has seen his market value rise since joining, ensuring that he is now worth more than Cantwell.
James Tavernier’s market value at Rangers
Tavernier saw a peak market value of €8.4m (£7.1m) according to Football Transfers during the 2020/21 campaign, in which the Gers were totally dominant in the top flight, and it was a season where the defender registered 35 goal contributions – 19 goals and 16 assists – in all competitions in what was a record-breaking season.
While his value may have dipped slightly from that season, he is currently valued at €6.5m (£5.5m), which, for a player who will be 33 in October, is certainly a decent figure.
His performances this term have given the Light Blues a chance of securing an incredible domestic treble, and it shows just why he is valued so highly.
Why James Tavernier is valued so highly
The £30k-per-week captain has scored 19 goals and grabbed ten assists so far this season and February is not over yet, proving just how vital he has been to the club.
His latest two-goal salvo against St Johnstone allowed the Light Blues to secure a 3-0 victory and leapfrog Celtic at the summit of the league table.
The pressure was on during the match, but the captain led from the front and proved that the Gers are more than up for the challenge of reclaiming their dominance of Scottish football.
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19
55
18
58
18
46
19
46
3
57
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46
9
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2
50
15
Not only does Tavernier lead from the front among his teammates with regard to goals and assists in the top flight (20), but he also ranks first for big chances created (13), key passes per game (3.1), and overall Sofascore rating of 8.14/10 which proves just how crucial he is for the club.
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has lavished Tavernier with plenty of praise over the years, but perhaps the best came in 2022.
"Since signing in 2015, Tav has been a key figure in Rangers' recent journey,” gushed Boyd over the captain.
"People will rightly point to title No 55 and the part he played in that. They will also look at his role in helping Gers to reach last season's Europa League final. But he's delivered a helluva lot more than that.
"He's become a proud ambassador for the club. As captain, he sets an example for others to follow. His numbers, in terms of goals and assists, speak for themselves. But it's the way he has carried himself that has been so impressive.”
While the former Newcastle United gem has won everything there has to be won in Scotland, along with leading the Ibrox side to a Europa League final, if they win the Premiership this season, could it be his finest achievement?
Given where the club were in September, it would certainly rank highly, and his displays have seen his value rise while being worth more than attacking players such as Cantwell, which shows that the Gers struck gold when they signed him for £200k.
