Arsenal midfielder Jon Toral has claimed that playing for Rangers is one of his career highlights, despite playing against one of the world’s best of all-time in Barcelona forward Lionel Messi last season.

The 22-year-old spent the second half of the 2016/17 campaign on loan in Scotland, after a disappointing spell with La Liga side Granada where he only made five league appearances.

In contrast, he made 15 club appearances (all comps) – scoring three and creating three more assists – and would’ve played even more if he hadn’t picked up an injury.

He played against Messi’s Barcelona side in October and Granada, who were eventually relegated into Spain’s second tier, did well to keep the giants to a 1-0 win on the afternoon. Toral played 77 minutes during their slender defeat but has said that experience is up there with his time in Glasgow with Rangers.

“It’s amazing, the pitch, the crowd – it’s a special feeling,” he said, as quoted by the Daily Record.

“Making my debut in the first division in Spain, playing against the best player in the world, Messi, playing in the stadium where I grew up, in Barcelona, was one of the highlights, and then making my Ibrox debut,” Toral continued.

“It was amazing to be part of this massive club, with such history – you can tell from just sitting in the trophy room.”

The creative Spaniard will be hoping that his experiences out on-loan help him in his quest for a first-team opportunity at Arsenal next season.