Kyle Bartley says his surprise decision to swap Sheffield United for Rangers in January was to increase his chances of playing for Arsenal next season. Despite a difficult start, it appears to have been a fantastic move.
In the past week, Bartley has played maximum minutes against Celtic, in the Old Firm derby, and Sporting Lisbon, in the Europa League. In the same time frame, former loan club Sheffield United have faced relegation scraps with Crystal Palace and Scunthorpe United.
The experience in particular on the European front could be key in his future development. Kyle impressed in a new look back five as Rangers edged Sporting Lisbon on aggregate at a packed José Alvalade stadium on Thursday. The reward was a last 16 tie with PSV.
You can view a five minute video of Bartley’s highlights against Sporting by clicking here.