The centre-back scored and produced a hugely impressive display on his first start for Nigeria during the international break
Rangers centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez continues to enjoy a remarkable career rise after bursting on to the international scene within five years of being plucked from English non-league obscurity.
Snapped up by Peterborough United in 2021, the towering defender had to wait until last season to make his senior breakthrough for the Posh, making 42 appearances which was enough for Rangers to shell out £3.5m to sign him last summer. He’s now being linked to Arsenal, Everton and more.
Following a sluggish start to his Ibrox spell, Fernandez hasn’t looked back since the arrival of head coach Danny Rohl in October. He has been a near ever-present in the heart of the Light Blues backline since then and is already being linked with some top clubs in England and abroad after a series of standout performances.
There was reported interest from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the January transfer window on top of the likes of Arsenal and Everton. His stock has risen even higher in recent months after becoming a fully fledged international player during the recent domestic break. The 24-year-old Londoner - tied down on a long-term contract until 2029 - switched allegiance to Nigeria earlier this month and made his debut as a substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Iran last week before making his first start a few days later against Jordan.
Fernandez leaves his mark after strong international bow
Fernandez created a strong impression on his new national team colleagues after leaving former Arsenal and Everton star Alex Iwobi blown away and in no doubt that he has what it takes to make a name for himself on the international stage going forward.
Current Fulham midfielder Iwobi - closing in on his 100th cap for the Super Eagles - was sent off in the 2-2 draw with Jordan, but was on the pitch when Fernandez netted his first goal for Nigeria to put them 2-1 up.
“I thought Emmanuel Fernandez was excellent in his first two games,” he said. “Along with Chibuike Nwaiwu, he showed composure and made a really good impact against a physically demanding opponent.
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“He did well and looked very solid. It was a good performance. The main thing is that we won because that gives us a confidence boost.”
Standing at 6ft 4’, Fernandez has been linked with a big-money move at the end of the season amid varying reports that a quartet of Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on him.
Quartet of Premier League clubs monitoring Fernandez
Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Everton are all claimed to be monitoring Fernandez closely, with Rangers facing up to the prospect of banking a potential record-breaking fee should they decide to cash in early.
A commanding presence in both boxes, Fernandez has also developed a serious goal threat after working alongside Rangers’ new set-piece specialist coach Scott Fry. His rapid rise will not have come as a surprise to Peterborough director of football Barry Fry, who recently made the bold claim that Rangers would eventually command a fee of £30-40m for Fernandez.
Speaking to the Scottish Sun, Fry said last month: “When we sold Manny to Rangers, the fans up there had a right go at me, saying he was the worst player they had signed. I just knew Fernandez had to be a given a chance.
“I made it clear Rangers would eventually sell him for £30m or even £40m. I said he’d score goals as well and just come through strong for them. Honestly, he’ just had to be given an opportunity.
“Early on, they didn’t give him one. He only got one or two games and I wasn’t popular up there with Rangers fans. Just look at Manny now. He has shown the Rangers fans he can defend and he can score goals. He’s a good player, it’s as simple as that. But I definitely don’t want to be saying, ‘Told you so’ to the supporters.”
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