Lafferty, a former Ibrox striker, believes Rangers have finally addressed a defensive gap that has troubled the club since 2024.
That was the year Connor Goldson departed for Aris Limassol, leaving a leadership void at the heart of the Rangers backline.
New manager Derek McInnes moved to plug that gap by securing Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta, with the centre-back also having previous ties to English football with Everton.
Lafferty played alongside Godfrey at Norwich City and says the 28-year-old’s personality set him apart from the very beginning of his career.
The Northern Irishman told Record Sport: “Ben was a young boy coming through at Norwich when I was there.”
Despite their age difference, Godfrey showed no signs of being overawed, frequently locking horns with experienced professionals around him.
Lafferty recalled with some amusement: “He was only 18 and I was 26 but the amount of arguments we had was unbelievable.”
Rather than causing friction, those disputes revealed a competitive edge and self-assurance that Lafferty believes will serve Rangers well at Ibrox.
He added: “He was just a kid and he showed respect to the senior pros like myself, but absolutely nothing fazed Ben.”
Lafferty is confident that if Godfrey can stay fit, his presence will replicate the standards Goldson once set across the Rangers defence.
“If he stays fit, I think we’ll see a younger version of Connor Goldson,” Lafferty said, making his admiration for the new signing clear.
He emphasised that Rangers have lacked a commanding defensive voice since Goldson’s exit, and that Godfrey’s nature suits what the club needs right now.
“I think we’ve missed Connor since he left,” he said. “We haven’t had that centre-back who has demanded a certain level of performance.”
Lafferty also welcomed the return of Ross McCrorie to Rangers, another defensive addition McInnes made as part of his squad rebuild this summer.
The former Gers striker played alongside McCrorie during his first spell at the club and remembers a standout performance in an Old Firm encounter at Ibrox.
“I remember when we beat Celtic in an Old Firm game at Ibrox, he absolutely bossed Scott Brown and Scott was at his best then,” Lafferty said.
McCrorie played in central midfield during that 2018 victory and, according to Lafferty, ran the show from start to finish on a significant occasion.
Lafferty acknowledged that not everyone shares his enthusiasm for McCrorie, saying: “Some of my mates aren’t that keen on him but I have to stick up for him.”
Having gone away, developed his game in England, and now returned, McCrorie finds himself with a fresh opportunity to cement a long-term place at Rangers.
Lafferty concluded: “He’s now got a chance he probably didn’t think he’d get again,” reflecting on a career arc that has come full circle in Glasgow.
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