At the conclusion of the previous season, John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack, and Kemar Roofe were cut, making room in the roster for new players.
Oscar Cortes returned for a second loan stint, left-back Jefte signed a permanent contract, and two players who had contracts expiring this summer—Connor Barron and Clinton Nsiala—were signed.
Additionally, it is said that the Gers are in negotiations with Bayern Munich to sign German winger Yusuf Kabadayi, and they are drawing closer to signing Hamza Igamane.
They might also be ready to cash in on one of their forwards right now, as Cyriel Dessers’ departure from Ibrox this month has been strongly rumoured.
Why Cyriel Dessers could need to be replaced by the Rangers
The Nigerian international is reportedly a “shock” target for Greek powerhouse PAOK as they try to improve their attack this summer, according to a recent report from The Scottish Sun.
The report continued that he is desired by the Super League team and mentioned that he has submitted a transfer request in an effort to push a move over the line, according to reports in his home country.
The Daily Mail was able to obtain information from Greek publication Nova Sports on PAOK’s ‘advanced’ negotiations to sign the former Cremonese center-forward.
The source also stated that although Dessers is satisfied with the financial package that the Greek side is offering, they have not yet agreed on a transfer cost with Rangers, therefore it is unclear how much the club would be willing to pay for him.
In lieu of him, Clement might approve the sale and collaborate with Koppen to complete a deal for one of the Scottish powerhouses’ purported summer transfer targets.
After an outstanding season in the Scottish Premiership, The Athletic recently announced that Rangers is among the teams interested in signing Theo Bair, the phenomenon from Motherwell.
The Canada international is reportedly being watched by the Gers and Celtic as well as teams in Germany, but it was not disclosed how likely it is that he will sign a deal before the 2019–20 season.
Rationale for Rangers to profit from Cyriel Dessers
Given that the seasoned attacker is nearing the end of his career and had difficulty scoring last season, Rangers shouldn’t be afraid to pay up for him if a respectable offer is made.
In light of PAOK’s interest, they might not have many better opportunities to recover a price for the 29-year-old, who turns 30 in December, as he is not a young player with potential whose worth could soar over the years to come.
In addition, it would provide the team a chance to replace him with a more capable player at the top of the pitch following his inefficient Premiership performances.
| Rangers’ xG underperformers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 23/24 Premiership | xG | Goals | xG differential |
| Cyriel Dessers | 21.59 | 16 | -5.59 |
| Connor Goldson | 2.81 | 0 | -2.81 |
| Sam Lammers | 4.71 | 2 | -2.71 |
| Danilo | 6.68 | 4 | -2.68 |
| Fabio Silva | 6.57 | 4 | -2.57 |
| Stats via WhoScored | |||
With 16 league goals from an xG of 21.59 previous season, Dessers substantially underperformed his predicted total, as the table above illustrates.
Goldson’s minus 2.81 was the largest underperformance of any player in the team, demonstrating how awful the striker’s finishing was to finish 5.59 goals short of expectations.
The Scottish powerhouses may find it wise to cash in on him this summer due to his advanced age and lack of skill in the closing third.
When you take into account that his departure would create room in the roster for Clement and Koppen to add a new starting number nine, who might strengthen the team by scoring more goals for the team in the 2024–2025 season, it might also be a wise choice.
Reasons for signing Theo Bair by the Rangers
With his goal-scoring prowess in the Premiership last season, Rangers could sign Bair from Motherwell and brilliantly replace Dessers.
The Canada international joined them from St Johnstone last summer and had an incredible first season with his new club. He is presently competing at the Copa America.
Bair was named to the PFA Scotland Team of the Year after putting up an impressive 15 goals and six assists in 31 league starts—better than a goal every other start on average.
His placement in the final team of the season indicates how highly regarded he is by his colleagues and that the Light Blues would be signing a proven talent because he has already demonstrated his ability to score goals in the top division of Scotland.
Despite scoring fewer goals (15) in the division than Dessers (16), he was selected for the Team of the Year, and a close examination of their individual statistics reveals why.
| 23/24 Premiership | Theo Bair (Motherwell) | Cyriel Dessers (Rangers) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 38 | 35 |
| Goals | 15 | 16 |
| Big chances missed | 11 | 27 |
| Conversion rate | 21% | 16% |
| Assists | 6 | 4 |
| Duel success rate | 38% | 33% |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
In the Premiership, Bair missed 16 fewer “big chances” and converted a greater percentage of his opportunities, as the table above illustrates.
This demonstrates that the 24-year-old star was much more effective in the Scottish Premier League when it came to finishing, which implies that if given the kind of opportunities that Dessers had when wearing a Rangers jersey the previous season, he may flourish and surpass his goal total of 15.
Given the amount of opportunities afforded for him in the division, the Canadian wizard—who manager Stuart Kettlewell called “unplayable at times”—has demonstrated that he can score goals at a rate that is astonishing.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Be the first to comment