IAN DURRANT is confident Rangers' loan stars will emerge stronger from their time in Scottish football this season.

Boss Mark Warburton clinched deals for Spurs duo Dominic Ball and Nathan Oduwa and Arsenal kid Gedion Zelalem in the summer and all three have played a key part for the Light Blues so far.

Winger Oduwa was at the centre of a storm after being the subject of a series of tough tackles during Rangers’ win over Livingston earlier this month but Murray Park Under-20 boss Durrant hopes he will learn benefit from his Gers stint.

He told SportTimes: “The manager has a good relationship with Tottenham and Arsenal and they were happy for their players to come here. It will stand them in good stead. It will toughen them up.

“They are learning to adapt and they know it is not as easy as some people think it is. They are getting good game time in front of big crowds and it will stand them in good stead for when they go back down south. They will go back better and stronger.

“There are going to be tackles, there are tackles in every game. You have to rise above that and hopefully the better players shine on the day."

Playmaker Zelalem is due to return to the Emirates in January but SportTimes revealed this week that Arsenal will decide within the next few weeks whether to allow him to extend his stay north of the border.

And former Gers midfielder Durrant has been impressed with the impact Zelalem has made so far at Ibrox.

He said: “He has been fantastic. He had to do a lot of travelling this month going over to America but he will be invaluable for us.

“He is enjoying it here working with the manager and playing in front of the fans. It is a learning process for him but it is also good for us to have a player like that.”