Olwethu Makhanya receives biggest praise yet after Rangers announcement

Olwethu Makhanya has taken the Scottish Premiership by storm at Rangers.

The South Africa international has caught the attention of fans and rivals with his performances in recent weeks.

In the two Old Firm derbies, the 22-year-old centre-back was the difference-maker as the Gers beat Celtic convincingly.

Derek McInnes and Makhanya have now been crowned September's Manager and Player of the Month in the league.

The Light Blues are on a five-game winning run in the Scottish Premiership.

While the Scottish manager has slowly found a winning formula in Govan, it wouldn't have been possible without the defence, which has kept four clean sheets in the last five league matches.

Olwethu Makhanya compared to Paolo Maldini at Rangers

Makhanya's future at Rangers already seems uncertain, with talks of a big-money move circulating among the fanbase.

The Gers signed the defender for around £3million from Philadelphia Union in the previous transfer window and his worth in the eyes of many has already multiplied.

Winning the Player of the Month award further solidifies the centre-back's claim as one of the best in the Scottish Premiership this season.

On Instagram, the Glaswegian outfit shared a picture of Makhanya holding his award, and his South African teammate Thapelo Maseko commented, "Maldini."

While the centre-back has received plenty of praise since moving to Govan, being compared to the AC Milan legend is the biggest one yet.

Olwethu Makhanya season is numbers at Rangers

Makhanya's addition has had an evident impact at Rangers, with Emmanuel Fernandez playing considerably better alongside him.

The South African ace has made six league appearances for the Gers and they've kept four clean sheets in those matches.

Makhanya is a solid defender, averaging 1.2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, four clearances, six ball recoveries and has won five duels per game, according to Sofascore.

Not only is the centre-back reliable in defence, but he's also technically decent, averaging 74.5 touches and 0.7 key passes per game, showing he isn't afraid to be on the ball.

The South Africa international has also surprisingly completed 100 per cent of his dribbles, averaging 0.8 per game.

McInnes has someone at his disposal who can lead the Govan side back to success.