A question we get on Ibrox Noise a LOT is as much a frustration as anything else:

“Why didn’t we sign Lyndon Dykes?”

Fans look at Cedric Itten, including ourselves in truth, and wonder why we chose the more expensive and risky option over the SPL stalwart and now Scotland international.

This picture is a clue:

Endorsements.

As we discussed some months ago, the act of signing a player is not just down to how good they are, in fact that can often be the least important part. Instead, the commercial viability of the player becomes crucial – how much money can this player earn us in sponsorship, what kind of image does he have, his age, what market value can he have under us, nationality, and opportunities.

In short, Rangers made a judgement call that Cedric Itten was a more viable signing on a lot of levels than Lyndon Dykes – and only two months after snapping the Swiss up, Rangers now have a major Swiss endorsement partnership with Itten the poster boy of the deal.

Itten can play, we definitely know that, and he can score, we know that too, but the popular choice was Dykes, and many fans couldn’t quite fathom why we went for a fairly unfamiliar Swiss player over the Aussie Scot.

Well, the deal above may just play a part – Rangers are a business, and the suits decided the potential returns on Itten and doors it could open were more rewarding than what Dykes could deliver.

Just a thought.