Last weekend, Rangers confirmed the signing of Andreas Skov Olsen on loan from Wolfsburg, with the club holding the option to make the move permanent in the summer.
Tomorrow, against Dundee, he is expected to be in Danny Rohl's squad as the German seeks answers in the final third for a team that is winning, keeping clean sheets, but struggling to score in the final third.
The 26-year-old winger's name has been linked to Rangers for several years. His arrival addresses Rohl's wish for a right-winger this month following moves for left-back Tuur Rommens and midfielder Tochi Chukwuani. More incomings are still expected before the window closes in a little over a week.
The Danish international, who has previously played for FC Nordsjælland, Bologna, Club Brugge and Wolfsburg, has struggled for form since making a €14m move to the Bundesliga last January.
Rangers and Rohl will hope the player can rediscover his levels - and final third output - that convinced the German side to part with such funds a year ago in order to fire them to the title.
What type of player is Skov Olsen and how will he fit in at Ibrox? Here's a closer look.
What type of player is Skov Olsen?
Over three and a half years at Club Brugge, Skov Olsen managed 49 goals and 30 assists in 124 appearances. This is a winger who always wants to be in and around the penalty area.
Rohl acknowledged at his Thursday press conference before the player's arrival that it's his job to bring out those levels again from Skov Olsen, adding that in the final third it is "descision making where we have room to improve" for Rangers as a team. Much like Vaclav Cerny did last season, Rangers will hope Skov Olsen is a player who drags the team up to perform at his level, with game-deciding impacts in the final third.
As Rohl explained after the 1-0 win against Ludogorets, where his team lacked fluency in the final third: "We created some good moments, but it's this final calmness on the ball. I think this is something that hopefully Skov will help us with very soon. In this, he is a player who can be a good part."
Save for Cerny's excellent loan spell last season, Rangers have lacked a winger who can hit the byline or cut inside from the right flank and they've missed someone with clear, cool final third decision-making. As a result, they can often be a little predictable in trying to funnel attacks down their left and rushed when they reach the final third.
Rohl has added defensive steel and structure with his team becoming a huge threat from set pieces. You sense to win the league, however, their open-play output must improve.
"I was asking for a left foot on the right side this month," Rohl added when Skov Olsen arrived. "We have a lot of players who favour their right foot, [this gives] us a different profile."
Skov Olsen's heatmap from his spell at Brugge shows that tendency to hang wide on the right and attack vertically, cutting onto his stronger left foot.
Perhaps the slight difference in Skov Olsen's game, when compared to Cerny, is the speed and power he boasts over a short distance, plus his superior ability to receive wide by the touchline as well as in central pockets.
The 40-cap Danish winger has a little more threat in those first few yards when attacking his man and perhaps, is a more effective ball progresser against a deep defensive block. The winger can speed up games against a low block but should thrive in the open spaces Rohl feels his side have passed up too readily of late.
Where does he play?
The attacker has played almost exclsusively featured from the right throughout his career with a trademark whipped left-footed finish complemented by his ability to hit the byline.
Take a look, for example, at Skov Olsen's shot map from his final six months at Club Brugge - remember, he moved to Wolfsburg in January 2025.
Nearly all of his eight goals in that timeframe originated within the width of the 12-yard box after chopping inside from a wider starting point.
Compare that pattern to his key passes (passes that create a shot) and assist map from the same period.
In contrast, notice the winger's proclivity to create from wide positions, normally cutting the ball back for a teammate after pushing onto his right side, often benefitting from defenders overcompensating in case he were to shoot on that strong left side.
All but one of the Skov Olsen's 22 league goals during those final 18 months in Belgium were with his left foot, while his assists were a 50/50 split.
The best wingers, especially in ball-dominant teams, have variety to their game that earns them space. Meanwhile, Skov Olsen's xG overperformance (8 goals from 4.54xG in 2024 and 12 from 6.92 in the Belgian Pro League the season prior) is evidence of his above-average finishing.
What are his key strengths?
Skov Olsen's stats from that latter 19-game spell in Belgium provide good evidence for Wolfsburg's investment in the then 25-year-old, even if chances have been hard to come by since.
Above, the closer to the boundary line the better. Below the higher the percentile, compared to other players in the league, the better. Key statistics are written down and strengths are highlighted.
- xG: 0.34 (97th percentile)
- Shots: 2.47 (94th percentile)
- Shot On Target %: 47 (87th percentile)
- PAdj Pressures: 12.87 (30th percentile)
- Open Play xG Assisted: 0.17 (86th percentile)
- Dribble & Carry OBV: 0.25 (91st percentile)
- Fouls Won: 1.33 (47th percentile)
- Turnovers: 4.23 (11th percentile)
- Touches in Box: 6.15 (97th percentile)
- xG/Shot: 0.11 (83rd percentile)
What does this show us? Skov Olsen ranks very high not only as a direct goal threat (for example, 0.34xG per 90 means roughly he should've been worth a goal every three games) but also in his ball-carrying and creative output.
That's complemented by an xG-assisted output (the value of shots created for teammates) that would place him above anyone's individual output at Rangers this season, while he'd register second for touches in the opposition box and xG. Those underlying stats would place him second and first for goal and assist threat in the current Rangers team.
If this move works as planned, Rohl will have a multifaceted winger who is capable of creating and converting.
How will he fit into Danny Rohl's team?
Rangers' attempts to sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Crystal Palace this summer reflected their desire for the aforementioned left-footed right winger. Rohl's shift to make this team more transitional and 'vertical' explains the desire for that profile to arrive this month.
Previously, the head coach explained his use of Djeidi Gassama on the right wing as evidence of the number of players in his squad who would prefer to play on the left-hand side of the pitch.
Whether it be Gassama, Moore, Nedim Bajrami, Thelo Aasgaard, Findlay Curtis or even Rabbi Matondo as players who are happier from the left than the right, Rohl inherited a squad that lacks depth and variety aside from Oliver Antman. Indeed, considering the age of Moore (18), Gassama (22), Aasgaard (23), Chermiti (21) and Antman (23), he will also welcome a ready-now, experienced performer.
With Rohl chopping and changing shapes and systems in order to adapt and earn results so far in his Ibrox career, the German has conceded that "structure is obvious" off the ball but not so much on it. There is a belief that, like Cerny offered last season, Skov Olsen can take advantage of moments others would pass by and provide a focal point to build around in the final third.
What Rangers badly need in their efforts to win the league title is a ceiling-raiser of a performer in the final third push the margins favourably in tight games and provide in an attacking unit that otherwise has potential but proves streaky. No one in the squad has more than four open-play goals in the league. Jayden Meghoma is the top assister with four to his name.
No signing is risk-free and Skov Olsen hasn't thrived in Germany. Of course, there is risk attached; of course, this could be an expensive mistake.
But work out as planned and Rangers have the type of player who can make all the difference in a title push.
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