Rangers have agreed a deal to sign a “clinical” new striker in the summer

Rangers have agreed a deal to sign a “clinical” new striker in the summer

Glasgow Rangers were busy throughout the January transfer window,

and they made their final signing on deadline day, bringing Oscar Cortes on loan from RC Lens.

Prior to the arrival of the youthful winger, Philippe Clement had brought in Mohammed Diomande and Fabio Silva on loan.

The latter caught the eye as the Light Blues easily defeated Livingston 3-0 at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Fabio Silva	Vs Livingstone (via sportviewers)
sportviewers rating	7.6
Shots	Four
Goals	One
Big chances missed	One
Chances created	Two

As shown in the table above, the Wolves loanee scored and created chances for his teammates.

Rangers are pursuing another striker.

His remarkable performance came after the Gers failed to sign another striker,

with reports claiming that the club wanted to add another number nine to compete with Silva and Cyriel Dessers.

At the end of December, Football Insider revealed that Rangers were keeping an eye on Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland as a potential signing.

However, they noted at the time that the Gers would be priced out of a move for the Scotland international in January since they were searching for  a fee of at least £3m for their star striker.

It indicated that the Ibrox club would need to collect finances through player sales to afford the prolific marksman,

which they were unable to accomplish, as seen by all three of their acquisitions – Cortes, Silva, and Diomande – joining on loan from their respective teams.

According to Football Insider, Rangers are ‘eyeing’ a summer transfer for the Scotland international,

as well as a permanent deal for current loanee Abdallah Sima from Brighton & Hove Albion,

in order to finally get a goalscorer.

According to the source, qualifying for the Champions League next season would considerably increase their prospects of securing deals for both players.

If the Gers beat Celtic in the championship fight this season,

winning the Premiership would mean automatic qualifying.

They say that Hearts have made two’record-breaking’ offers to Shankland to extend his present contract with the Jam Tarts, which is set to expire at the end of next season, but he has yet to sign.

This means his future is uncertain, and Rangers could make a move for the £3 million striker in the summer,

when he will only have 12 months left on his contract.

It would be Hearts’ last chance to secure a price for his services before a probable free transfer in 2025,

which the Gers might take advantage of by adding him to their team ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Clement could now avenge the club’s deadline-day blunder of failing to recruit a striker to bolster their side by signing Shankland,

who would be a significant upgrade over Dessers, this summer.

Cyriel Dessers struggles this season

The Nigerian centre-forward was signed from Italian club Cremonese for the 2023/24 season and has had a mixed season in front of goal.

He arrived at Ibrox following a disappointing season for his former club, who were relegated from Serie A,

with the marksman scoring only six goals from 7.15 xG in 26 league appearances.

His underperformance in the final third in Italy has carried over to Scotland,

where the seasoned striker has squandered opportunities for Rangers.

Dessers has scored eight goals and squandered a startling 13 ‘big opportunities’ in 20 Premiership games for the Scottish club this season.

Cyriel Dessers	Vs Livingston (via sportviewers)
Minutes played	14
Touches	Six
Duel success rate	0%
Pass success rate	0%
Big chances missed	One
Goals + assists	Zero

As shown in the table above, the 29-year-old forward struggled terribly off the bench on Saturday,

missing a decent opportunity and leaving a lot to be desired with his passing and lack of strength,

which has been an issue throughout the season with a ground duel success percentage of 29%.

The statistics that demonstrate why Shankland would be a significant upgrade over Dessers

Rangers might recruit Shankland in the summer to replace Dessers and avenge their deadline-day gaffe of failing to add a great marksman to the squad.

He is an experienced Premier League talent who has been devastating in front of goal for Hearts since the beginning of last season.

The £3 million-rated ace understands the division,

knows how to find the back of the net.

Shankland was once described as “clinical” by journalist Euan Robertson,

and his form over the last 18 months confirms this.

His talent was on full display for Hearts in the Premiership on Saturday,

when he was personally involved in all three of their goals in a 3-2 victory over Dundee, as shown in the table below.

Lawrence Shankland	Vs Dundee (via  sportviewers)
Sofascore rating	9.6
Shots on target	Two
Goals	Two
Big chances missed	Zero
Big chances created	One
Assists	One

The 28-year-old ace now has 16 goals in 24 top-flight outings for the Jam Tarts this season,

with only seven ‘great chances’ squandered.

His amazing form this season follows a return of 24 goals and 16 ‘great opportunities’ squandered in 37 league games in 2022/23.

This means Shankland has 40 goals and 23 ‘big opportunities’ squandered in 61 Premiership games for Hearts since the beginning of last season.

That is a great return in front of goal over a substantial length of time and indicates that he has the quality to be clinical when chances come his way,

whereas Dessers has missed five more big chances  he has managed goals this term.

As a result, the Scotland international has the potential to be a sensational signing for Rangers as a proven

Premiership upgrade on the Nigerian forward,

with more goals and fewer big chances missed,

which is why his arrival in the summer would atone for the club’s deadline day blunder of failing to sign a striker.

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