'Excellent finisher': Rangers target broke record with five goals in one match, could replace Cyriel Dessers

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On December 30th, Rangers legend Kris Boyd will celebrate the 15-year anniversary of his five-goal haul against Dundee United on a remarkable winter’s eve at Ibrox.

Overtaking Henrik Larsson’s all-time Premiership goalscoring record in quite mesmerising fashion, Boyd inscribed his name not only into Rangers but Scotland’s history books.

In fact, only two players in the 21st Century have ever scored five goals in a single match in Rangers blue. Kris Boyd in 2009 and Kenny Miller in 2000.

But should Iqraam Rayners end up making the trip from South Africa to Scotland during the January transfer window, Ibrox will again be home to a centre-forward with one of those seldom-seen quintets on his CV.

According to Soccer Laduma, Philippe Clement’s Rangers have enquired about the Mamelodi Sundowns striker. With 12 goals in 16 games, Rayners has exploded out of the blocks since joining Sundowns over the summer.

• READ MORE:Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present

Rangers target Iqraam Rayners scored five goals in sensational display

It was at previous employers Stellenbosch FC, however, that Rayners would enter South African footballing folklore.

In a thrashing of Polokwane City back in April, the 29-year-old remarkable scored all five goals in a thumping 5-0 win. In the space of just 65 minutes, no less. He became the first Stellenbosch player ever to achieve the feat, and only the second in South Africa.

The variety of Rayners five goals, meanwhile, was arguably even more impressive than the number of them. His first was a 25-yard screamer into the top corner of the Polokwane net. His second, a flick and volley not too dissimilar to Amad Diallo’s winner in last weekend’s Manchester City.

Rayners completed his hat-trick with a fierce drive off his supposedly weaker left boot before locating the bottom corner with his right.

Then, to cap a quite sensational evening, the Cape Town-born frontman then jinked his way through before placing his finish between a pair of defenders and a despairing glovesman.

"Iqraam's on a great run of form,” awe-struck Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker told IOL. “He is a quality footballer and an excellent finisher, and you could see that

"What can one say? They were five special goals. Every goal was from a well-thought-out, well-struck or composed and quality finish.

“He showed his qualities again as a goalscorer."

Rayners could potentially replace Cyriel Dessers at Ibrox

The downside – if there is a downside to a striker scoring five goals in one game – is that Rayners hit the target only 12 times in his other 38 matches that season.

Amid suggestions that he could replace Rangers’ current number nine – Cyriel Dessers could move to France with St Etienne – it seems that Rayners also suffers from the sort of inconsistency which has blighted the £4.5 million signing from Cremonese since arriving in Glasgow.

Yet, Rayners’ career is a story of self-improvement. A late-blooming hitman who ages like the finest South African wine.

As recently as 2020/21, he scored only once in 19 matches for Super Sport United. Rayners tallies over the next three seasons read four, fifteen, and seventeen. With 12 already this term – we are not even at Christmas yet – 2024/25 should realistically be the first 20-goal campaign of Rayners’ career.

Though whether he sees out the season at Mamelodi Sundowns, with Rangers making their interest known, remains to be seen.

"He's always had that [quality] but his game has gone to an even higher level,” Barker said before his departure over the summer. “Especially with his link-up play, which has improved a lot. And he's scoring goals."

"I think we are all impressed with how he [Rayners] has found his form at Sundowns," adds Manqoba Mngqithi, his new boss at Mamelodi Sundowns, via Sports Wire.

"From the beginning of the season, I think he has hit the road running. We are all excited about how he has managed to come in and be of help to the group.

"I would be lying if I said I'm surprised with what he has done. The reason why we brought him here is because we know he is probably one of the best goal scorers that the country has at the moment. 

"He may not have the other tools that one would want for in an attacker, but scoring goals is his art. It's one thing that I've always believed in him.