Three goals in 15 games is hardly the right way to go about paying off a hefty transfer fee.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton has pleaded for patience with misfiring striker Joe Garner, insisting that he can still make an impact at Ibrox, the Daily Record reports.

The returning giants paid £1.8 million to secure the services of the former Preston North End forward in the summer, according to the Daily Record, but he is yet to hit the heights expected of him north of the border, scoring just three times in 15 appearances in all competitions, albeit with one coming against Celtic in September.

The move came as something of a surprise after Garner struggled to make the step up from League One to the Championship last season, following his 27 goal haul in the third tier with just six after Preston’s promotion.

However, Warburton, who has endured plenty of criticism due to the poor performances of many of his summer signings, has backed the 28-year-old to prove his worth eventually.

“Joe has only just started his career here and people are quick to judge. Give him a chance to settle in,” the former Brentford boss pleaded in quotes reported by the Daily Record.

“He adds a different side to the game and he has a bright future ahead of him here. I have no doubts about Joe Garner whatsoever.”

Rangers fans will be forgiven if they don’t share Warburton’s outlook, with Garner joining the likes of Joey Barton, Philippe Senderos and Niko Kranjcar firmly in the ‘flop’ department so far.

The club’s first choice centre-forward admitted early in the season that he was finding it difficult to adapt to the pass-and-move philosophy of his manager, according to the Daily Mail, having thrived in a traditional 4-4-2 via a more direct gameplan while in the English lower leagues.

However, a few months have passed, and the club’s marquee signing is yet to show any discernible signs of improvement.

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