Ibrox Latest: £3 million striker reveals why Beale wanted him at Rangers.

Never in the competition’s history has a Sheffield Wednesday player won the Player of the Month award. That might

change if Ike Ugbo can beat Josh Sargeant, Omar Hutchinson, and Leeds United midfielder Ilya Gruev to win the

February title.

Few could argue that Ugbo, who was associated with Rangers via The Sun in the final days of the Mick Beale era, was

not entitled of his own piece of Hillsborough history.

Mick Beale wanted Ike Ugbo at Rangers.

The Canadian international, who arrived on loan from French club Troyes in the January transfer window, scored

five goals last month. In fact, in his first eight starts for Wednesday under manager Danny Rohl, Ukbo had six goals

and one assist.

A stunning run of form has Sheffield Wednesday – a team that appeared doomed not long ago – on a four-game

winning streak and on the verge of avoiding relegation.

“You look at what (your transfer targets) can do, and you have a little bit of an idea in your mind,” Rohl tells The Star

of Ugbo, who worked with Beale in the Chelsea academy. “I’m glad we acquired these players.

“(Ugbo) deserved it,” the boss says, with Ugbo embracing his talisman position with a late winner against Rotherham

United last Saturday. “He worked hard against the ball.”

“It was difficult in his initial role, pressing and knowing he would not receive the ball. It was all about forcing the

long ball. He performed admirably, which is why he earned his goal.”

Rangers were connected with several forwards last summer before Beale invested substantially in Danilo and Cyriel

While all of the aforementioned offensive targets have struggled in recent months – Matija Frigan and Nikola

Krstovic have combined for nine league goals – Ugbo is one Beale target who may have been worth pursuing.