With the departure of Alfredo Morelos, the unreliability of Kemar Roofe and supposed interest in Antonio Colak, Rangers really need strikers this summer. Between January and now, there have been plenty of strikers linked to the club. I’m going to look at the ones which are deemed the most likely to arrive. I’ll look at the type of player they are and what they can offer Rangers going forward.
At a minimum, Rangers need to add two strikers this summer. If Kemar Roofe can stay fit he can be a huge asset considering his performance in the 20/21 season. Antonio Colak had a ridiculous start to his Rangers career then had a couple of injuries. That being said, he still scored eighteen goals in 39 appearances in his first season at Ibrox. Reinforcements are needed, goal scorers are needed, these signings could be difference between second and first. This, in my opinion, is the most important position for Rangers to improve in and it’s genuinely make or break how these new signings do for our season.
The Manager’s Thoughts
Michael Beale had this to say on the striker situation;
So far I’ve had to play the striker who is fit rather than picking one for the team. When we play in Europe or big games here, EVERY player must take part in every minute of the game. I like forwards who aren’t just in one position. They interchange, move around and have freedom on the pitch.
Whenever we have done well in Europe, every player took part in all aspects of the game. That is a big thing for me. I want energy, I want speed, I want to see personality in a centre-forward.
If you want to be a No.9 for Rangers you need to have that. In the last few weeks I have been busy, travelling extensively to have meetings with players in person.
Michael Beale
This article was posted on May 20th and he was already speaking to players. Rumours have come and gone since then but still no striker has came through the door. Let’s look at some of the name’s that have been linked next.
rumoured Targets
Josh Maja – Rangers have been linked with the 24-year-old Nigerian since 2020;
This is a link that has never fully went away, although recently Maja was asked by the French media about rumoured Rangers interest, to which he replied ‘I have to wait to hear what the management of this club says and whether they want to keep me.’ That statement didn’t give much away but it’s obvious why Rangers are interested.
He is capable of playing all across the front line, is comfortable on the ball and is an excellent finisher. His athleticism and movement allow him to create the space he needs to get chances and then, he scores goals. At only 24 he still has room to develop and may, possibly, want to go to a team where he can play European football.
At this moment, it’s still unclear if Bordeaux will gain promotion. Should they stay in Ligue 2, Maja will be a free agent and can then join whoever he likes. If he becomes available on a free this could be a good deal for Rangers.
Fee – Free (?)
Type of Striker – Hybrid striker/winger.
Sam Lammers – For my full break down of Lammers, read here.
For a shorter summary, he hasn’t had much luck in getting game time/goals after knee surgery. He was a player with a lot of promise in The Netherlands, so much so that Atalanta paid a reported €8m.
He is an incredibly gifted dribbler with an excellent first touch, although not blessed with blistering pace he’s capable of beating his marker off the dribble. Comfortable with both feet, he has shown excellent technical ability at times but if he’s coming to be one of Rangers main strikers, he needs to get back to scoring goals.
Fee – £3m
Type of Striker – False nine/number ten, not a lone striker.
Cyriel Dessers – For my full break down of Dessers, read here.
In short, Dessers offers a bit of everything. He is strong and can be a nightmare for defenders, he presses very well and although he only had the six league goals last season is a great finisher.
He has very similar traits to Morelos with the ability to use his body to create goal scoring opportunities for himself. Again, not blessed with blistering pace but certainly no slouch. One of his best qualities is the ability to score first time finishes, on either foot. That is something which Colak provided this season and adding another striker who can do the same could be key in the numbers of goals Rangers score this season.
Fee – €4.2m plus €1m add-ons
Type of Striker – All round number nine.
My Thoughts
It’s clear that Rangers need more goals from their strikers. Morelos’ struggled to break the twelve goal mark in the SPFL and Colak managed fourteen while missing thirteen games. The reality is, Rangers need a striker that will get twenty goals in the SPFL and then need the supporting cast of wingers and strikers to get close to ten/fifteen depending on their position.
Goals win games and Rangers didn’t score enough last season, it’s as simple as that. The team created plenty of chances and missed that final clinical moment that would help make sure they got the three points. The 2-0 defeat away at Pittodrie against Aberdeen was the perfect example of this. Rangers absolutely dominated the first half, missed a couple of good chances and went in 0-0 at half time. Aberdeen score a fluke goal and then add a second and although Rangers had more chances, still couldn’t score.
That has been an issue for a numbers of seasons and fans will be hoping Michael Beale can sort it out this summer. Who would you be most excited about arriving when the transfer window opens?