Rangers new signing Tochi Chukwuani marked his first appearance at Ibrox as the Light Blues cruised into the Scottish Cup fifth round with a commanding 5–0 victory over League 2 side Annan Athletic.
The Danish midfielder, who completed a €4 million move from Sturm Graz earlier this week, was introduced in the 64th minute as a much-changed Rangers side produced a dominant performance under Danny Rohl.
Chukwuani replaced Joe Rothwell, who made his first appearance since November and played a key role in the match by assisting Kieran Dowell for Rangers third goal. Dowell, meanwhile, was also returning to action after his first appearance since August.
It was a comfortable evening for Rangers, but for Chukwuani the occasion carried extra significance as he made his debut in front of the Ibrox crowd.
“Yeah, it feels fantastic to be here,” he said.
“I'm really happy to finally have made my first minutes in the stadium in Ibrox and I can't wait to play more games.”
The 22-year-old arrives with a growing reputation after helping Sturm Graz lift the Austrian Bundesliga title last season, and he was keen to give supporters an insight into his playing style.
“I'm a physically strong player,” Chukwuani explained.
“I like to dictate the game on the ball, like to have the ball a lot, can create also and then I think one of my really strong forces is driving with the ball and getting out of pressure, tight pressure, playing also on one and two touches.
“And then also a lot of interceptions, getting us stuck in. That's pretty much my play style.”
Chukwuani was unveiled alongside fellow new arrivals Tuur Rommens and Andreas Skov Olsen before kick-off, underlining the club’s ambition during the January window.
The midfielder believes the recent recruitment reflects the direction Rangers are heading under their new manager.
“Yeah, I mean, since Danny has taken over, the boys have done brilliant,” he said.
“And I think the three signings is also an indication that we want to keep going, keep winning games each weekend.”
Asked about his personal goals at Ibrox, Chukwuani kept things simple.
“Obviously, I want to be successful in the club here together with the boys and try to win as many games as possible and try to put some smile on a lot of people here in Glasgow.”
Despite the comfortable win over Annan, Rangers now turn their focus back to the intensity of a title battle.
Chukwuani arrives with a significant transfer fee attached, but he insists pressure is something he thrives on.
“Yeah, I like to play under pressure,” he said.
“For me, I just love to play football and I don't really feel the pressure like that.
“Obviously, it's a big club, but I just try to go out and play my best football. And this is why Rangers got me.”
His experience of winning a league title with Sturm Graz last season could prove valuable in the coming months.
“That will obviously be very, very special,” he said of the prospect of another title.
“But again, as I said before in previous interviews, we take it game by game and we just try to focus each training to get better because there's still room for improvement in terms of how we play.”
Chukwuani is also reunited with former Nordsjælland teammate Mohamed Diomande, a familiarity he welcomed.
“Yeah, it's lovely to see familiar faces,” he said.
“Diomande especially, that I've played with Nordsjælland, a midfielder that I've always admired to play with because he's a guy who understands my game as well.”
Before signing, he sought advice from Diomande and Oliver Antman about life at Rangers.
“They said the fans are amazing and this is something that gives motivation to the player to play in front of these kinds of settings,” he added.
While Chukwuani has represented Denmark at youth level but is yet to appear for the full national team, his focus remains firmly on club football for now.
“Right now I don't really think about national team,” he said.
“My head is really just at Rangers.”
With a strong debut behind him and a clear sense of ambition, Chukwuani now looks set to play an increasingly important role as Rangers push for success on multiple fronts this season.
Unregistered for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match against Ludogorets at Ibrox – his next match and first chance for an Ibrox starting berth will be on Sunday as Dundee visit Ibrox.