Rangers must finally sell Ibrox flop who's in 'advanced talks' to leave
Rangers must finally sell Ibrox flop who's in 'advanced talks' to leave
Much has been made about how many new players Glasgow Rangers need to sign during the summer transfer window in order to challenge for the Premiership title next season.
Philippe Clement has already made a solid start, luring the likes of Jefte, Connor Barron and Oscar Cortes to the Ibrox side, but it is clear more quality is needed.
The Belgian must be ready to sell some of his most sellable assets in the next few weeks in order to raise the necessary funds to help complete his summer rebuild.
There has been some interest in James Tavernier and Connor Goldson recently, while Sam Lammers has attracted attention following his loan spell at FC Utrecht.
Tavernier's situation, in particular, is an interesting one given he is the captain, and a reported move to the riches of Saudi Arabia potentially awaits.
The next player to be linked with a move away from Rangers is centre-forward Cyriel Dessers. Could Clement cash in on a player who divided opinion during his maiden season in Scotland?
The latest on Cyriel Dessers' future at Rangers
The Nigerian striker signed for the Gers last summer, with Michael Beale splashing out €5m (£4m) up front for the player in a bid to improve his attacking department.
It was a questionable signing, not only because Dessers would be 29 midway through last season, but also because of the fact he had managed to score just six league goals the season prior, albeit they were in Serie A.
Fast-forward 12 months, and it is clear the striker hasn’t convinced the Ibrox faithful that he is the one to lead the line ahead of next season. Yes, 22 goals in all competitions is a decent record, but Dessers missed more chances than he converted, often having three or four shots on goal before he scored.
Now, according to Greek outlet Nova Sports (via the Daily Record), Dessers is closing in on a summer move to champions PAOK.
The report adds that talks are advancing between the player and club as it looks like the 29-year-old is keen on leaving Ibrox for the next stage in his career.
If Clement can recoup the majority of the fee that was spent on him in 2023, then it would represent a smart piece of business, allowing him to use these funds to sign his own targets.
Cyriel Dessers season in numbers
Dessers did score a decent number of goals during his first season at the club. His attitude was also excellent, chasing down every ball and giving everything to the cause whenever he was on the field.
The main criticisms lay in just how poor his finishing skills were. For example, across 35 Premiership matches last term, he missed 27 big chances, a staggering amount.
This meant his goal conversion rate was only at 16%, yet another poor stat. Just how well Rangers could have done had they been able to call on a striker who was far more clinical in the final third?
His all-round game was solid enough, creating eight big chances for his teammates while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game, but the Ibrox faithful expect their number nine to be hitting at least 30 goals a season.
Unfortunately, Dessers wasn’t that type of player, and it now looks like he will be moving on sooner rather than later.
The former Feyenoord hitman is currently earning £27k-per-week and moving on this high wage will give Clement some added flexibility in the transfer market.
He was the second most expensive arrival last summer after Danilo, while Dessers is even valued at more than double that of one of the brightest talents at the club – Todd Cantwell.
How much Todd Cantwell cost Rangers
Despite the flak that Beale got for his dreadful ten-month stint in charge of the Light Blues, he made a few decent signings in the transfer market, none more so than Cantwell.
The former Norwich City talisman made a move north to Glasgow in January 2023 following a difficult six-month spell at the East Anglian club – failing to score in 20 matches – as he cost Beale just £1.5m.
He enjoyed a wonderful start to life in Glasgow, registering 11 goal contributions in his first six months, although last season proved to be slightly trickier.
On his day, Cantwell can be a devastating force in the final third. The key thing for Clement now is to ensure the 26-year-old performs well in every match.
Todd Cantwells statistics last season
Throughout 2023/24, Cantwell scored eight goals and registered seven assists, which was more than the previous season.
These numbers could have been much higher if he hadn’t missed a host of games due to a series of injury problems, plus Clement often deployed him on the right wing during the embryonic stages of his reign.
Among his teammates in the top flight last term, Cantwell ranked second for overall Sofascore rating (7.38), fourth for goals and assists (12), third for big chances created (seven) and fourth for key passes per game (1.7), which shows just how effective he was in the opposition third.
The attacking midfielder has the chance to work on these figures and make them much better next season, especially considering he is entering his peak years as a footballer.
Much will depend on whether Clement is confident of the Englishman becoming his focal point in the number ten role, as he endured a few poor performances last term.
If he hits the ground running, the £1.5m investment in signing the former Norwich gem could be seen as a wonderful bargain by the Gers.
Clement will certainly be looking to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors of spending lavish sums of money on players who don’t have much resale value.
Dessers is a perfect example. While he may be in his prime, the striker turns 30 in December, which means he is closer to the end of his career rather than the beginning. If the Belgian can receive even half of the £4m that was spent on him last year, he will be doing well.
Cantwell, on the other hand, should be staying right where he is. The former Norwich man is still key to the club's plans moving forward.
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