Report: Rangers reach agreement for 6th summer signing, £1.7m deal could be done in 'hours'

07/02/2024 05:30 AM

The signings just keep coming at Rangers.

It was Jefte Vital right at the start of the summer, followed closely by Clinton Nsiala and the returning Oscar Cortes. Then came Connor Barron and Liam Kelly, Rangers doing what they haven’t done for some time and bringing a pair of proven Scottish Premiership operators to Ibrox.

Signing number six, meanwhile, will be one more typical of the Philippe Clement, Nils Koppen led recruitment drive. Rangers have spent much of 2024 looking further afield for bargain additions.

And Foot Mercato believe that a £1.7 million deal to bring in a forward who plies his trade in Morocco could now be completed ‘in the coming hours’.

Rangers moved to the front of the queue for Hamza Igamane’s signature towards the end of June.

And, with an agreement sealed and Igamane receiving the requisite paperwork ahead of his trip to Scotland, we might be seeing a few introductory pictures of the skilful 21-year-old in Rangers blue before the week is out.

Rangers reach agreement for Hamza Igamane

“Hamza Igamane will sign for Glasgow Rangers,” Foot Mercato say. “The U23 international striker from FAR Rabat has reached an agreement with the Scottish club and has been issued a visa essential for his transfer to Scotland.

“The Moroccan club FAR will receive 2 million euros plus bonuses for this transfer, which will be made official in the coming hours.”

Igamane is not the most prolific of centre-forwards. He scored only seven goals in 23 RAF Rabat games last season. But a tally of six assists shows that Igamane is more than a penalty-box poacher.

An impressive physical specimen who appears to excel with his back to goal, Igamane is as much a creator as he is a goalscorer in the final third. Still, better numbers will be expected at a club with ambitions of Scottish Premiership glory.

"I believe Hamza will succeed in Scotland," compatriot and one-time Hibernian midfielder Merouanne Zemmama tells the Scottish Sun. "He's a player who is going to be ideal for the style of football. I genuinely think he will do well there.

“Hamza is a big, strong guy who will be ready for the physical side of football that exists in Scotland. That won't worry him at all."

"He has good technique for a striker, but he's a powerful boy and he'll actually be looking forward to testing himself against the kind of hard defenders that you have in Scotland.

"I'm excited to see how he's going to do. I always watch the results in Scotland because I had good years of my playing career there.

"I'll definitely be keeping a very close eye on Rangers in the new season."

Cyriel Dessers could leave Ibrox for Greece

Igamane’s arrival could pave the way for Cyriel Dessers to depart. The £4.5 million man is reportedly a target for PAOK, though the Greek outfit have installed ex-Barcelona man Martin Braithwaite as their top choice (Filathlos).

Rangers, meanwhile, are keen on another talented Moroccan forward in Excelsior’s wantaway winger Couhaib Driouech, per FC Update. Though PSV Eindhoven – having come close to signing Driouech in January – are expected to win the race.

There is also interest from a Lens side who sent fellow left winger Oscar Cortes back to Rangers recently.