Philippe Clement fires clear warning to Rangers board as exit reports swirl around key player
Today at 01:07 PM
Cyriel Dessers fired in a Scottish Cup hat-trick and wound up with the Rangers captain's armband in the Scottish Cup win over Fraserburgh.
The 30-year-old Nigerian international striker had a hand in four of Rangers' five goals in the thumping 5-0 win over the Highland League side at Ibrox.
Scott Arfield branded Cyriel Dessers an 'enigma' after the Scottish Cup clash and insists there will be plenty of clubs around Europe with one eye on the Rangers hitman.
As Dessers himself admits he could leave Rangers this month, Philippe Clement has warned the Rangers board that they need someone of similar quality lined up to replace him.
Philippe Clement on Cyriel Dessers' 'situation'
Cyriel Dessers has been strongly linked to a number of European clubs this January with transfer interest in Spain, France and Italy widely reported.
But the situation took on a new complexion when Cyriel Dessers claimed that he'd 'need to talk' with Rangers if he continues to find himself out of the team.
Hamza Igamane and Danilo now appear ahead of Dessers in the Rangers pecking order, despite the striker's 16 goals making him the top goalscorer at Ibrox this season.
Asked about the situation after the striker lashed in a hat-trick against Fraserburgh, Philippe Clement refused to rule out a sale.
"It’s a difficult question," Clement told the press when asked if he hopes the striker stays. "If Cyriel goes, you need to replace him.
"And it needs to be at least the same quality.
"If a player stays and he plays less and he becomes, because of that, unhappy and he goes down this level, while I don’t fare with him, it’s also not good for the club.
"We will see in the next two weeks what happens. I know if he’s here, he will give everything for the club. And if he leaves, he needs to be replaced by somebody at least of the same quality.
"We have discussions every day. No, not every day, that’s not true, but at least every week. We talk all the time.
"I think Cyriel shows that he has a desire to do everything for this club. And of course, he wants to play every game. It’s then showing that you’re the best.
"That’s working at Rangers, he knows that also really well. So that’s the situation."
Dessers earns Clement and James Tavernier praise
Despite the transfer murmurs, Cyriel Dessers has been making a big impression at Rangers this week.
Netting a stunning solo goal after coming off the bench against Aberdeen, Philippe Clement insists that the hitman's quality has always been evident throughout his time at Rangers.
"It shows what I’ve been seeing all the time that I’m here," said Clement. "Cyriel is a really great character to have in the dressing room in the team. Always works hard.
"Of course he’s not happy if he cannot get more minutes like he had in the past to play that many minutes but that’s football at the highest level, it’s competition and he kept on working, he kept on fighting.
"That’s why he’s ready also to play these games and to score a hat-trick. So that’s what you want to see."
Cyriel Dessers' performance also wasn't missed by Rangers captain James Tavernier come full-time at Ibrox.
Speaking on BBC Scotland's live coverage of the Scottish Cup clash, Tavernier heaped praise on the hitman for 'rising above' the at-times over the top criticism.
"Very pleased," said Tavernier. "Also he got an assist.
"I saw Clinton got man of the match in the stadium, he had a great game as well today.
"Cyriel has always continued to work hard since he first joined us and he rises above it and yeah, I'm really pleased for him to get his rewards today."
Whilst Cyriel Dessers walked away with the match ball at full-time, it might've been quite different had the striker dwelled on a glaring first-half opportunity.
With the score at 0-0, Cyriel Dessers kicked the ball back where it came from when it looked easier to score, the moment another big miss in a highlight reel of them at Rangers.
Speaking about the chance with BBC Scotland at full-time, Dessers insists the opportunity was offside anyway and that it is quite simply 'the life of a striker'.
"It's nothing about me," said Dessers. "That's the life of a striker.
"You will miss some chances. The first one was offside as well.
"You just have to stay in the game then I know chances will come, then I have to make the next one."
