Rangers’ January window had two main remits. Nils Koppen was enrolled to find players who have long-term value and can be flipped for profit in the future, also ready to play their part in a title race.

It’s, of course, too early to judge what Oscar Cortes and Mohamed Diomande will bring between now and May. We can only really speculate on potential and acknowledge the exciting profiles both arrive in Glasgow with.

While Diomande was playing his first game since November in a 2-0 win over Ayr this Saturday, Cortes is closer to full fitness and during a very bright first 45 minutes, that showed.

It was a performance that demonstrated his variety of threats and football intelligence. Simultaneously you can see why Cortes is an option on the right-hand side given the array of positions he wants to receive possession in, a tendency to attempt actions at the right moments and mix-up his approach.

The Colombian showed a capacity to spin behind and attack space, receive wide by the touchline and attack his full-back or move infield to combine and receive with his back to goal.

Let’s look at some examples.

Cortes is wide in the first minute of the game receiving the ball from Borna Barisic. While Barisic isn’t always a natural fit for a wide player, given he naturally moves to the touchline and clogs up the wing, in moments the Croatian left-back recognised his cue to move infield.

Here, Cortes uses Barisic’s underlap to attack his man given the run from left-back creates separation, before hitting the far post from range.

Cortes will perhaps be more of a ‘two-way’ winger when operating on the right, given the Colombian can push to the byline and whip in deliveries. Although he appeared reticent to do the same on his left, when the game was slow and cutting inside wasn’t viable, Cortes recognised the need to make up space, attract players and create space for others.

Is it fair to say that the sign of a good wide player is that they are the ones in control of one-on-one moments and not the defender? Cortes was certainly the player dominant in duels at the weekend.

Tempo was another factor of the youngster's game, going slow to make up ground and push back the opposition, while also recognising the correct moments to release possession if tracked by two men.

Here’s another example of Cortes going slow to go far, resisting the option to cut inside into a busy area of the pitch, using a few rolls of his boot to destabilise his opponent and hitting the byline to win a corner.

The on-loan forward went close to scoring with this cross-cum-shot after a clever pick-out from Diomande near the end of the half and shifting onto his left foot, with James Tavernier inches away from converting at the back post.

Variation was also a feature of Cortes’ game when operating with his back to goal. The winger didn’t only receive the ball wide but moved inside to operate in the pockets. He knew when to create space for others and keep possession, here opening up a wide pass into Barisic…

…While also recognising when there wasn’t a man tight at his back there was space to play one-twos and combine infield. As outlined in our scout report upon Cortes' arrival, give-and-goes are something you’ll see the youngster attempt frequently.

Here’s another example in the centre of the pitch. Cortes recognises that two men are close by, while Diomande sees the space this opens up. A quick one-two with Ryan Jack creates space for the No.42 to run beyond and create a two-vs-two at the top of the park.

The same theme applied at the touchline. In this example, Cortes receives and goes backwards because even though he’s facing up a winger in Logan Chalmers, the back four is set in position. 

However minutes later when right-back, Nicholas McAllister is drawn out, Cortes knows this is the time to take a risk and play forward with plenty of space to move into. This was one example where he was perhaps too hasty in an attempt to shoot on his right foot after entering the box rather than shifting to his left.

"In the first half today Oscar was the best player on the pitch,” a complimentary Connor Goldson surmised after the game.

“We’ve all seen his qualities, he comes both ways, he goes short and long - and he shoots with both feet. He showed what a valuable player he can be for us.”

Rangers’ first true sighing of Oscar Cortes was exciting. A winger who looks capable of controlling the tempo of a duel, with the game intelligence to vary his approach and perhaps most importantly pick his moments.

It doesn’t appear as though the customary bedding-in period at a football club will take all that long for Cortes at Ibrox.

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