Brian Laudrup compares Todd Cantwell to HIMSELF but sets Rangers benchmark for new signing
RANGERS legend Brian Laudrup has welcomed new arrival Todd Cantwell to Ibrox - and warned he must handle the Old Firm expectation.
The Danish superstar went down in the Govan club's history books and insists Rangers can do the same for the Norwich midfielder as they did for him.
Laudrup re-discovered his football form under Walter Smith after a difficult spell in Italy.
He sees similarities in his own situation and Cantwell's - not least in their versatility across the attacking midfield roles.
What Cantwell needs though, Laudrup says is what he received from Smith and the Ibrox hierarchy - TRUST.
Writing in his Scottish Daily Mail column the wing wizard said instilling that belief could net Rangers "a real crowd pleaser".
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But Cantwell has to handle the pressure of being a Rangers player too insists Laudrup and muck in with a role in Gers attacks - just like he did.
The Dane wrote: "At his best, he's wonderful to watch. He's one of those guys who can turn a game on its head with creativity.
"He's brave on the ball, he wants to take players on and can operate in various positions - No 10, on the right and on the left.
"The platform will be there at Rangers. His numbers need to get up in terms of goals and assists. He must handle the expectation. But he has got the ability.
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"Cantwell needs trust. I know that feeling from my own career.
"While my circumstances were different when playing in Italy, I had a real desire to find a club with a combination of freedom to play and career stability.
"Rangers provided that for me. Maybe it will now be the same for Cantwell.
"I think he needs to know he's an important player - one with some license to express himself within a team structure. If he feels that trust from Beale, he can be a real crowd-pleaser. Because Cantwell's got invention in his soul.
"He could be a tremendous Rangers player if he's able to reconnect with the form he showed a couple of years back."
Sunsport first told you how Cantwell was in Michael Beale's sights earlier this month.
The 24-year-old signed a "long-term" deal at Ibrox and moved for an undisclosed fee from Norwich on Monday.
His Carrow Road contract was due to expire at the end of the season.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page