THE summer transfer window in Scotland saw both halves of the Old Firm recruit fairly extensively as Celtic and Rangers looked to overhaul their squads in order to compete for the title.

As many as 10 new faces completed moves to Parkhead, while Steven Gerrard bolstered his squad with 11 players signing on the dotted line in Govan. And while the two rivals both had significant outlays on new recruits in pre-season, there are two players who stand out - both due to their sizeable transfer fees, and their contribution to their new clubs since arriving in Glasgow.

Christopher Jullien and Ryan Kent were both signed for around £7million from Toulouse and Liverpool respectively and, because of the mammoth prices attached to their heads, supporters of Celtic and Rangers had high expectations from their new players.

The signing of Jullien was a statement of intent from Neil Lennon after Celtic's centre-back pairing of Filip Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata left at the end of last season, with the champions in need of a new defender to partner Kris Ajer at the back.

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Kent, meanwhile, completed a permanent move to Rangers after impressing in a loan spell in Govan in the 2018/19 season, particularly in the second half of the campaign. The winger's knack of scoring important goals in big games was enough to convince the Ibrox hierarchy to part with a huge transfer fee - the club's highest since shelling out around £12million for Tore Andre Flo in 2000 - but the 23-year-old still has some way to go to justifying that outlay.

When we look at the impact of the pair at their new clubs, it is Jullien who has become an unlikely match-winner for his side. The Frenchman was, of course, signed primarily with a view to shoring up the Celtic defence and can be said to be a success in this regard, but it is the colossal defender's interventions at the other end of the park which are proving to be game-changing for Lennon's side.

Jullien has seven goals to his name so far this season; a fairly impressive tally for a centre-back in his debut campaign in a new league. But it is the 26-year-old's habit of popping up with vital goals in Celtic's biggest games that have made him worth every penny of the £7million the Parkhead club forked out for him.

There was the dramatic winner against Lazio at Celtic Park back in October. In December's League Cup final, Rangers battered their opponents for 90 minutes but it was Jullien's (admittedly dubious) goal that sealed the trophy for Lennon's side. The defender's half-volley against Aberdeen later that month opened the scoring as Celtic eked out a 2-1 win at Parkhead.

His commanding header against Kilmarnock in January put his side 3-1 up at Rugby Park after the hosts threatened a comeback and his composed finish against Hamilton a couple of weeks later nudged Celtic ahead 10 minutes from full-time in Lanarkshire. Yes, Lennon's men went on to win that game 4-1 but it was by no means as comfortable as the final scoreline suggested and could have easily ended in a draw if Jullien hadn't intervened.

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Then, as Celtic were battling to find a way past a stubborn St Johnstone resistance in Perth at the weekend, Jullien once again played a crucial role in what proved to be the deciding goal. Ryan Christie may well have been credited with the strike but as Lennon pointed out afterwards, without the centre-back's darting run, it is difficult to envisage Zander Clark being beaten by a simple cross towards goal.

Time and time again, Jullien has (often literally) risen to the occasion when Celtic have been in desperate need of a breakthrough. Across the other side of Glasgow, the same cannot be said of Kent.

Let's be clear: the former Liverpool man deserves a tremendous amount of credit for his breakaway goal against Braga in the last 32 of the Europa League. That capped off a brilliant and memorable victory for Rangers supporters, and the 23-year-old showed remarkable composure to slot the ball past Braga goalkeeper Matheus. But those moments have been few and far between for Kent this season.

There was a late brace against Hamilton in November and, of course, the opening goal at Parkhead in December as Rangers recorded their first away win over their rivals in nine years.

But that's about the sum of it for meaningful goals from Rangers' most expensive acquisition in years. Kent racked up a couple of assists in the group stages of the Europa League but is yet to lay on a single goal for a team-mate in the Premiership. Even Jullien has two league assists this season.

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The two players represent the differing fortunes of Celtic and Rangers this season. Lennon's side have a tendency to grind out wins when the going gets tough, while Rangers - domestically, at least - tend to capitulate.

Kent is emblematic of the paradoxical nature of Gerrard's side; his best moments in a Rangers shirt have arrived against superior opposition when the odds are stacked against the Ibrox club, but he struggles against sides that Rangers should really be beating. Jullien, meanwhile, epitomises Celtic's ability to snatch a win in difficult circumstances.

Rangers supporters will surely have hoped for more from Kent, while Jullien has surpassed expectations at Celtic. The two players were brought in at great expense last summer with the remit to provide game-changing moments. So far, it is the French centre-half, and not the mercurial winger, who is doing just that. His presence in the final third has inspired his team to victory time and time again. It is a trait that Kent must adopt if he is to be considered a success at Ibrox.