Rangers manager Graeme Murty admits that he will give thought to handing the captain’s armband to new signing Russell Martin while Lee Wallace remains on the sidelines, so impressed has he been with the Scotland centre-half’s leadership qualities since arriving at the club.

Murty was rather blindsided when the question was put to him, and while there are some who doubt the symbolic importance of which player is handed the armband, it is an issue weighty enough in Murty’s mind that he was reluctant to give an answer without first giving due consideration to the notion.

But with Wallace injured and Bruno Alves also out for a significant period, Martin seems to be a standout candidate.

“That’s a question – it would be difficult with a new guy coming into the club but I have no doubt he has captain potential because of his leadership,” said Murty. “But I have to think about it more deeply.

“He’s a guy with bags of experience and leadership potential. He’s a manager in the making I would suggest in terms of his knowledge and he way he conducts himself and his manner around the place.

“So, if we can get him to impact on our players then he will be a really good signing. I’m confident the guy that he is he will make us better.

“He’s seen everything, and he’s played at the very highest level. You see the way he takes care of himself on a daily basis and the way he takes care of his body and preps himself. He is the ultimate professional and they can just look at him and learn.

“He also speaks really well and he’s an educator on the pitch for young players. So, he can use his experience to enhance what we have because we have some good young players and he can hopefully take them to the next level.”

While the majority of Rangers supporters will judge the signings made by Murty by what they do on the pitch, and rightly so, the criteria by which they have been identified as potential Rangers players has been more wide-ranging.

“We identified the characteristics of the people we wanted to bring in and the people that they are and the hunger that they have,” he said.

“Their intrinsic drive was something that we were looking for. Russ has that alongside his ability and technique and the mentality to play on the big stage.

“He’s going to find out in short order what it means to play at Ibrox in front of our demanding fans and making sure he is ready for that. He’s desperate to do it and all the guys that have come in have that burn in them including the guys that have come back from loan. They’re desperate to get back on that pitch.”