According to Alan Nixon of The Sun, Rangers could be set to battle it out with rivals Celtic for the signature of Benie Traore. The 20-year-old currently plies his trade for BK Hacken in Sweden. The Ivory Coast U23 international has played centrally this season but is also capable of playing on the wing.
The asking price seems to be set at £4m which could prove to be a bargain considering the form he’s been in this season. It won’t be long before there’s even more interest so Rangers will have to be quick on this one.
The Numbers
I’m not going to say much before you see these numbers;
- 13 Appearances
- 12G/3A
- 4 Penalty Goals
- 96mins Per Goal
- 31% Goal Conversion Rate
- 1.4 Key Passes Per Game
- 2 Penalties Won
This is the first time I’ve been blown away by a players stats, wow. Fifteen goal contributions in thirteen appearances is incredible.
To then also almost average a goal a game and have a 31% goal conversion rate is ridiculous form. All of this from a 20-year-old who will only get better with more experience?
You can guarantee a lot of clubs around Europe are keeping tabs on him. If Rangers are indeed interested, they should be moving now to avoid a bidding war.
Playstyle
Purely from the eye test, it looks like he could rival Fashion Sakala for pace. He looks to break beyond the last man constantly to make chances for himself. When that isn’t possible, his link up play on the edge of the box is excellent which would be helpful playing against a low block.
He’s technically better than Sakala and much more composed. His dribbling still is similar, while much more controlled, as he also looks to knock it beyond the defender and run in to space.
His quick feet combined with agility and balance allow him to work his way out of tight spaces. In Sweden this season he has been regularly doubled up on but that hasn’t been an issue for him.
His finishing inside the box has been incredible for BK Hacken this season. Currently, he scores one in almost every three shots. Just for an extreme reference, Erling Haaland had a 29% goal conversion rate compared to Traore’s 31%.
When he gets one on one he prefers to place the ball past the goalkeeper instead of going for sheer power. He also gets a lot of goals by getting in front of the defenders when crosses come in to the box. Rangers have lacked a player willing to get across defenders when the ball gets put into the box recently.
Positionally, he always finds himself space inside the box. His mixture of goals have shown he knows when to hold his run and when to burst on to the ball.
My Opinion
Despite Benie Traore having an incredible run of form, he’s only done it for twelve games. This is the first time in his career he’s had this kind of run. Therefore this could just be an unsustainable purple patch.
That being said, I think it’s worth the risk, he’s only 20-years-old after all! His run of form is very similar to that of Gift Orban who is now being touted for moves upward of £15m+.
Orban was scouted from the Norwegian league and was incredible for Gent last season. Benie Traore is in a similar place for me and that’s why Rangers should jump at this deal.
If he sustains the form he’s been on £4m will be a steal. This also represents the type of deal the club should be looking at in regards to the player trading model.
Would this be a deal that excites you? He offers something completely different to the other linked strikers so far. Do you think he’s worth the risk at £4m?