Rangers warned against making big transfer mistake - 'I wouldn't want to let him go'
Rangers told they must hang on to one of their star players this summer
Rangers have been warned that replacing frontman Cyriel Dessers could prove to be too difficult a task should they choose to allow the Nigerian hitman to leave the club this summer, according to one of Ibrox’s most prolific goal-scorers.
A polarising figure at Rangers since his arrival from Cremonese in the summer of 2023, the 30-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to AEK Athens in recent weeks, though the move appears to have hit the buffers after the two clubs failed to reach an agreement over a transfer fee.
The striker was hailed by head coach Russell Martin as “a good professional” and “a good human being” following the disappointing 1-1 draw against Motherwell in their Scottish Premiership opener at the weekend, and found himself restored to the starting line-up in the 3-0 Champions League qualifying win over Viktoria Plzen in midweek.
Scoring his first goal of the season from the penalty spot, he bagged Rangers’ second goal of the evening, placing home after debutant Oliver Antman was felled in the box. However, with his future at Rangers still far from secure, ex-Ibrox favourite Kris Boyd has warned that selling him may prove to be the wrong decision.
“It does look like he will be leaving,” Boyd said. “But I wouldn’t want to let him go. Goal-scorers are hard to find, and he keeps hitting the back of the net for Rangers. I know he might divide opinion, but Rangers could struggle to get someone in to match those numbers.
“There’s plenty of comings and goings to be sorted at Ibrox. Conor Coady has decided to go to Wrexham, so you think they will be in the market for a centre-back at the very least. Max Aarons is playing at left-back, but he’s been brought in to play on the right, so they will need to bring in another left-back.”
While the former Gers frontman believes it is in the club’s interest to keep hold of Dessers, he feels that Rangers should consider selling his strike-partner Hamza Igamane if rumoured interest in his services mounts to an official bid.
The Moroccan international has courted interest from Ligue 1 this summer, with Lille rumoured to have reached an agreement over personal terms in June, though no bid has yet been accepted by Rangers, with the player coming off the bench during the 2-0 Champions League qualifying win over Panathinaikos on July 22.
However, with new head coach Martin looking to add to his squad before the window closes, Boyd believes it may be an ideal time to offload Igamane, as he revealed what he thinks would constitute a successful season for the new boss.
“I think for Igamane, if you can get decent money for him, it makes sense to let him go,” admitted Boyd in an interview with BestBettingSites.com. “Domestically, Rangers have to look to win every trophy going, it’s just the nature of the beast. At Rangers, you’re always under pressure to win trophies. It’s been a long time since they were serious contenders, and they started the season with a setback already. They’ve still got a chance to get into the Champions League, and I don’t think Rangers can give up on that when the opportunity is still there.
“I think Celtic will still sign a few more players before the end of the transfer window, and both teams will look pretty different compared to how they are now. Brendan Rodgers is looking to get players in, and so is Russell Martin. I think we’ve got plenty of changes in the offing.”
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