Rangers haven't had much to celebrate this season so far. There have been big derby defeats, inconsistent league performances and the acrimonious departure of Mark Warburton from the club, which is only really scraping the surface.

It's all added up to a feeling of general discontent that any new manager will have to wash away with a vision of the path ahead and most importantly, good results.

One bright spot for the Rangers supporters this season has been the continuation of Barrie McKay's development into one of the brightest prospects in Scottish football.

He's been in such good form this season that he's been linked with a move away from the club. The Daily Record reported in January that Bundesliga high-flyers RB Leipzig had been in discussions with the Ibrox club about a potential multi-million pound deal for the winger.

Does he deserve the hype?

Here are THREE reasons why McKay has shown he is rightly regarded as a potentially big Scottish export...

His goal against Celtic

Undoubtedly the highlight for all Rangers supporters in recent years, the club's famous penalties victory against Celtic at Hampden last year was only possible because of this wonder-strike from McKay.

Tricking Scott Brown before lashing home a thunderous drive into the top corner past Craig Gordon, it gave fans a wonderful day at Hampden against all the odds. The quality of the strike was so good that it won the PFA Goal of the Season award in 2016/17.

It also showed that McKay has what it takes to be a big-game player against a good side, after years of progression in the lower leagues at Ibrox and on loan at Morton and Raith Rovers.

Part of a nine-goal haul in a successful season, he truly announced his arrival on the Scottish football scene.

Attracting international attention

Despite having not played one game of top-flight football in his career, his potential was seen as great enough to be handed his first Scotland cap last summer. He got a call-up from Gordon Strachan for friendlies against Italy and France, making his debut for his nation in the latter match.

It capped a remarkable season for the then 21-year-old and added credibility to the claim from Rangers supporters that he was one of the best young players in Scotland. They'd hyped him up for the entirety of the Scottish Championship season, with fans of other clubs pointing out he wasn't doing it at the highest level.

Strachan clearly saw enough in him to give him the opportunity to train with the Scotland side and then in that week he impressed enough to actually gain a cap.

If he continues to develop and perform in the big games then it's unlikely to be the only one he earns in his career.

Singled out for Rodgers' praise

Barrie McKay turned in another excellent performance against Celtic just a couple of months ago, helping his side to an initially competitive display against Brendan Rodgers' men at Ibrox.

The 'Gers were ultimately unable to sustain the level of performance they showed in the first half an hour for the entire game but Barrie McKay was a threat throughout, by far the most effective player for the home side in a 2-1 defeat.

It certainly attracted the attention of Rodgers who had some kind words for the young winger after the game.

As quoted by The Daily Record, McKay said:

"He came over and told me I’d played really well. He said I was tremendous and told me to keep my head up. It was nice of him because he didn’t need to do that. It took a lot for him to do that, especially after the huge celebrations his team were doing. He stepped away from that to speak to me."

Given Rodgers has worked with some of the world's top talent, he has authority when offering such praise and was clearly impressed by the showing of McKay.

It's an indicator that the hype around the 22-year-old isn't just bluster and shows why clubs have reportedly started showing interest in him.