Dujon Sterling rise draws comparison to Trent Alexander-Arnold after Rangers transfer
Rangers signing Dujon Sterling has been name-checked alongside Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in terms of their rapid rise through the England ranks at underage level, as featured by the Rangers Review.
A glowing report was delivered on Sterling by one of his former coaches, Adrian Viveash, who is now an assistant manager at Coventry City.
The Chelsea youth product will provide versatility to Gers boss Michael Beale as he is able to play in all positions across the back line, as well as in a three-man central defence.
Viveash urged the Rangers supporters to be quite excited about the impact that the new arrival is capable of, whilst the report detailed just how highly he was rated as a teenager.
“When progressing through the youth ranks, Sterling was widely viewed as the second-best talent in the country at right back, only behind Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold,” it said.
“Sterling was rated as highly as Reece James, now one of the best full-backs in the world, but the latter’s superior technical ability accelerated his path into the (Chelsea) first-team after a hugely successful loan spell at Wigan Athletic when he also played in central midfield.”
Over-ready
Importantly, Sterling will also provide serious competition at right-back, for the club captain James Tavernier for possibly the first time since the club returned to the Scottish Premiership.
That will create a win-win situation for the team as the skipper should be motivated to produce his best, knowing that there is a more than capable performer ready to pounce.
The boss, Beale, previously said that he was over-baked in terms of being ready to be a manager in his own right, after his own journey from academy coach to assistant manager. He got his breakthrough last summer with QPR, ahead of his return to Ibrox, but a similar theme is apparent with Sterling.
He is 24 in October, no longer a youngster and after significant experience gained at Coventry City, Blackpool and Stoke City, with over 100 first-team appearances under his belt, he is more than ready to put down roots and grow tall at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, the club are now close to sealing another major signing after the announcement of Sam Lammers in their biggest acquisition of the summer window.