Rangers could finally axe Dessers by signing £5m Scotland international

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement may have already signed seven players this summer, but the reality is, a few members of the Ibrox first team will have to be sold in order to fund more arrivals.

Speaking ahead of last weekend’s friendly, Clement discussed how his philosophy has changed since taking over at Rangers last year, saying: “If I only looked at the short term I would only bring in experienced players who can do the job directly.

“Mistakes like that have been made too much in the past and at the end you don’t reach your goals. You need a different philosophy and that’s what we are all working towards. This is a massive rebuilding job, it is true.”

With this in mind, should he cash in on one of Michael Beale’s 2023 summer signings in the next few weeks?

The latest on Cyriel Dessers’ future

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Rangers are considering selling Cyriel Dessers this summer, with some interest being shown in the Nigerian centre-forward.

Indeed, Greek side PAOK were heavily linked with a move for the player a few weeks ago, while clubs in France and Spain were also said to have registered some interest in luring the 29-year-old away from Ibrox this summer.

The Rangers Review stated that Clement will be looking to recoup around £4.5m should Dessers leave, which is around the fee they paid to sign him from Cremonese last summer.

Speaking to Ziggo Sport Voetbal (via the Scottish Sun), Dessers outlined his desire to stay, however, saying: “I am very happy here, so I would like to stay. “There is some interest, but my intention is to stay and then we will see what happens.”

Given he is approaching 30, the forward is a prime candidate to be sold by Clement and there is no shortage of players he could target in order to replace the former Feyenoord hitman…

Dessers’ potential replacement at Rangers

Last month, the Daily Record reported that Rangers were showing interest in Bristol City striker Tommy Conway and could make an offer for the player should he run down the final 12 months of his contract.

Despite City’s attempts at securing him on a new deal, it looks as though he will be leaving the club sooner rather than later, with pundit Tom Sandy believing that the Championship side should be looking at offers of around £5m in order for any club to prise him away this summer.

Recently, former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has endorsed a move for the youngster, saying: “Aye he’s a good player isn’t he the boy? He’s 21, I don’t know exactly what the fee would be, but he ticks all the boxes in terms of what Rangers [are looking for], how their recruitment is going. Bring them in, younger guys, make them better, then can we sell them on?

“Listen, he’s a talented boy in the Scotland Under-21s and you don’t make the Euros if you’re not a good player so what you can see is there’s a lot to work with there and a lot to improve. I think under our current manager he would do that.”

The youngster may not have made an appearance for Scotland in Germany during Euro 2024, but he did enjoy a stellar campaign in the second tier last term.

Tommy Conway’s season in numbers for Bristol City

In 43 matches last term, Conway scored 12 goals and grabbed one assist, with his performances in the FA Cup enough to get tongues wagging about his talents.

Indeed, not only did he score in a 1-1 draw against West Ham United in the third round, but he managed to net the winner against the Premier League outfit a week later, seeing Bristol City through to the next round.

Among his teammates at City, Conway ranked first for goals and assists (11) in the Championship, while also ranking first for shots on target per game (0.7) and second for penalties won (1) throughout the campaign.

Rangers desperately require some added reinforcements to their attacking department and Conway could be an ideal signing, especially with plenty of opportunities for development.

What Tommy Conway could offer Rangers

Hailed as a “gifted boy” by Steve Evans, Conway could thrive in the physical nature of Scottish football.

The striker won 1.3 ground duels in the Championship last term – a success rate of 45% – but there is no doubt that this could improve as he gets older.

Dessers may have scored 22 goals for the Light Blues, but he missed a staggering 27 big chances in the Premiership alone.

While Conway may not have scored as much as the Nigerian, he was more clinical in front of goal, missing just ten big chances while recording a 19% goal conversion rate, better than the 16% Dessers achieved last term.

Given the fact Conway is eight years younger than the current Light Blues forward, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he could be a long-term solution for Clement.

Exposure to European football will also accelerate his development, something which could see his transfer value skyrocket in the future.

While a move this summer depends on how much funds the Belgian tactician can raise, perhaps it would be more logical to wait six months and target him on a free transfer ahead of the 2025/26 season, or even submit a low bid to test City’s resolve in January.

Whatever happens, a talent like Conway shouldn’t be allowed to slip through the net. Aside from being young and showing prodigious talent, he is Scottish, which will allow Clement to bolster his homegrown contentment even further.

The move is a no-brainer, but it will likely depend on various other factors going the club’s way in order for it to become a reality.

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