Rangers' £3.5m man could miss out on January transfer, he is 'not the priority' as club look elsewhere
12/19/2024 12:00 PM
Speaking a few months back, Rangers technical director Nils Koppen offered a peak behind the curtain into the transfer strategy embraced by the Scottish Premiership giants.
Rangers, Koppen said, were looking to ‘bring the average age of the squad down’.
That explains why the Ibrox outfit opted to let the likes of Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, John Lundstram and Connor Goldson depart, replaced by younger models such as Jefte Vital, Connor Barron and Clinton Nsiala.
Koppen also highlights the addition of Hamza Igamane; The £1.7 million signing from RAF Rabat a posterboy for Rangers’ desire to uncover bargain buys from less-heralded markets.
A £1.7 million signing which becomes more inspired every time the striker takes to the pitch. Hamza Igamane chose Rangers over Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa in the summer and, following a flurry of goals, thank god he did.
But, still, Rangers are not sticking to Koppen’s strategy with military-grade superglue. Signing young, up and coming players is a strategy, yes, but not a rule.
See, the additions Robin Propper [31] and Nedim Bajrami [25], brought in after Philippe Clement expressed his desire to add more experience to a suddenly youthful squad.
Time will tell, however, whether Ligue 1 outfit St Etienne are willing to make exceptions of their own.
St Etienne linked with Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers
According to Le Republic Sportif, Cyriel Dessers could swap Rangers for France in 2025. Newly-promoted St Etienne are reported to be interested.
What’s more, it is alleged that Rangers could let Dessers go for around £3.5 million after the Belgian-born Nigerian fell from first choice to third in a matter of weeks; overtaken by Igamane and the returning Danilo.
St Etienne made nine signings during the summer of 2024. The majority of those were under the age of 23.
And while Les Verts did bring in a few older heads too, like Rangers with former FC Twente captain Propper, reporter Clement Goutelle suggests that St Etienne would ideally like to bring in a centre-forward at the start of his career rather than one like Dessers.
Rangers’ number nine celebrated his 30th birthday this month, after all.
“An experienced player is not to be excluded,” Goutelle tells Dauphine Libere. “But it would not be the priority.”
Peuple Vert, meanwhile, claim that St Etienne are looking at a number of centre-forwards. Dessers is on the shortlist, but he is not the only one.
“We have been told that the possibility of recruiting a striker this winter is clearly an option,” Peuple Vert explain. “Several players have already been sounded out in recent weeks.”
Dessers criticised as Rangers lost League Cup final to Celtic
After turning 30, Rangers know that Dessers’ value is likely to diminish over the coming months and years. Now may be a good time to cash in, then. Especially considering that Philippe Clement has opted against starting him for almost a month now.
Dessers only played the final 20 minutes of extra-time as Rangers lost on penalties to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final too. Eyebrows were raised, meanwhile, when the one-time Eredivisie Golden Boot winner did not step forward to take one of the five spot-kicks.
It certainly felt a little strange that Dessers stood and watched as Ridvan Yilmaz and even goalkeeper Jack Butland stepped forward.
"I think it shows a real lack of bottle for Dessers. That's all it is,” pundit Tam McManus said on PLZ Soccer's Football Show. "That's what you do as a forward. You've obviously had more practice than defenders and particularly goalkeepers.
“So I was stunned at that, and I can understand a lot of Rangers supporters being really disappointed in Dessers."