JORDAN JONES hasn’t been the most lauded signing of the summer for Rangers and he isn’t the most high-profile name in the Ibrox dressing room.

But Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill reckons he is just the kind of big game player that the Light Blues need for Steven Gerrard’s second term at the helm.

Jones is one of seven recruits that Gerrard has brought on board ahead of the new campaign as he looks to land the Premiership title and cup silverware as well as leading Rangers back to the group stages of the Europa League.

The winger has established himself as a solid, and at times spectacular, operator in the Premiership with Kilmarnock. And O’Neill has backed his man to make an immediate impression at a higher level.

“I do feel that he’s ready to make an impact at Rangers,” he said. “It’s always a big step when you go from another Scottish club to either of the Old Firm and for some players it can be difficult.

“But I don’t think the move from Kilmarnock to Rangers will faze Jordan and I base that on a couple of things.

“Most of the games I went to see Jordan play before taking him into the Northern Ireland squad were against the Old Firm.

“And I always felt that while he did not always have as much of the ball as he would have liked he was always very confident when he was on the ball.

“He was always prepared to do the things he is good at and that’s what I liked about him. And as soon as we brought him into our squad we saw the same thing.

“He didn’t really need any time to settle. He came in and his debut was in the World Cup play-off against Switzerland.

“He did enough in the training days to convince me to play him and I put him on for the last 20 minutes away to Switzerland with the game in the balance.

“He had that confidence to go in and play his natural game and that was great to see, especially for a winger. Jordan’s developing all the time.

“He’s now much better going on the outside as well as going on the inside. He knows the areas he needs to improve but when you have got that level of technical ability and pace that Jordan has you’ve got a lot of raw materials to work with.”

The deal for Jones is not the only one that Gerrard has completed for a Northern Irishman this summer and the 24-year-old will have international captain Steven Davis to help him settle into life at Ibrox after he extended his second stay at Ibrox.

Jones revealed last week at the Gers’ training camp in Portugal that it was the influence of his father that forged his allegiances with the Light Blue.

And O’Neill knows he will be determined to make the most of his chance after turning his career, and his life, around in recent years.

“It’s good to have good people around you and Steven Davis will have a positive influence on any player,” he said. “But I think every player gets to a stage in his career when the penny drops.

“Jordan had to rebuild his career after leaving Middlesbrough and it did not just happen overnight for him.

“We had him as an Under-19 international and then he just kind of disappeared off the scene. Of course, we knew where he was playing but he was playing at a low level.

“Then he turned up at Kilmarnock and things started to happen for him again. That’s where he rebuilt his career and within two years he is at Rangers.

“Not that long ago he was probably scrambling around for a club and now he’s an international player at a huge club. But that’s down to Jordan. That’s down to him applying himself.

“Possibly by his own admission, he would maybe say he didn’t apply himself as well as he could have done when he was younger.

“The talent was always there with Jordan but the experiences he’s gone through early in his career will serve as the motivation for him.

“He will be looking back and saying: ‘Wow, I’m at Rangers now.’ He will relish the opportunity that he has now.

“Having worked his way back up the hard way he won’t want to take his foot off the pedal. But the one thing about Jordan is he’s an easy boy to like. He’s fitted straight in with our squad and I’ve no doubts he will do the same at Ibrox.”

The form that Jones showed in the first half of last season was enough to convince Gerrard to do a January deal and bring him to Ibrox this summer.

He would endure a frustrating final few months at Rugby Park. Now, though, the forward is ready and raring to showcase his talents and prove his worth in Light Blue.

O’Neil said: “It’s difficult when you are a player and a deal is done on a pre-contract basis probably with a view to the deal being completed in January.

“When that doesn’t happen it’s difficult for everyone. It was difficult for Steve Clarke as well but he handled the situation extremely well. Jordan had a shoulder injury and that’s part of the reason why he didn’t play towards the end of the season.

“Steve protected him and I know Jordan was grateful for that. But I watched him come into the training camp with us and I could see he is in a good place right now.

“I could see he is excited about the challenge that lies ahead with Rangers. That’s good.

“When you sign a player from Kilmarnock on a free transfer he maybe doesn’t have the profile of some of the other players you are being linked with. But I think Rangers may be pleasantly surprised in what they have got in Jordan Jones.

“He’s a big part of our team going forward. We’ve big competition and he competes with Stuart Dallas of Leeds in that position and we’ve got a young full back Jamal Lewis of Norwich who has a lot of pace and quality on that side of the pitch.

“All in all, it’s good. But Jordan has made a big impact in a short space of time and I have a feeling he is someone who is going to be around the international team for a long time to come.”