Rangers are open to selling Cyriel Dessers in the January transfer window amid interest from teams in Serie A and Ligue 1, TEAMtalk can reveal.
The outlook for Rangers has completely changed in recent weeks as manager Phillipe Clement’s vision for his side looks to be coming together.
However, amid their strong run of form, striker Dessers has fallen down the pecking order at the Scottish giants. The Nigeria international was the club’s first-choice number nine not all that long ago but now he is playing second fiddle to Hamza Igamane and Danilo.
TEAMtalk sources say the Gers are exploring avenues to cash in on the 30-year-old during the winter window, six months on from when they tried to sell him in the summer but they were unable to get a reasonable fee.
We understand that there is still interest in the Belgian-born forward, with Italian and French top-flight teams ready to open conversations over a potential deal next month.
It is unlikely Rangers will recoup the £4m (€4.8m, $5m) they spent on Dessers in July 2023 but they will try to offload him in the hope of signing a centre-back.
Dessers falling out of favour at Rangers
Although 34 goals in 80 appearances is nothing to sniff at, in truth, he should have scored more for the Scottish giants since signing from Serie A team Cremonese.
Our sources understand that his lack of quality in front of goal has likely cost him his place at Rangers. Moreover, Danilo is back fit after an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign and with the rise of top talent Igamane, an Ibrox exit for Dessers seems likely.
He has also been a huge source of frustration amongst Rangers fans and it has become clear he is not the man to lead the line for the club.
The former Feyenoord loanee still has two-and-a-half-years left on his contract, so Rangers will want to get some sort of fee for his services.
The club are very keen to add to their defensive ranks in January and want to find a central defender to add depth to the squad for the second half of the season.
Dessers backed for January exit
After Rangers’ penalty shootout loss to Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final, Dessers was criticised for not stepping up and taking a spotkick. That and more is why former Rangers youth product and ex-Manchester United midfielder, Michael Stewart, believes his days at Ibrox are numbered.
“It’s a valid talking point because he’s Rangers’ number nine. You’d expect that he’s going to be standing up and taking a penalty,” he said. “But I think it just goes to highlight the whole Dessers story at Rangers, in that guaranteed if he steps up to take it the Rangers supporters have got their heart in their mouth. They’re thinking ‘oh no’ – they would be. Of course you do (expect Dessers to take).
“But to a certain extent, the players have got to feel it themselves and if Dessers is not feeling it, you cannot force him into taking a penalty. Again, the whole thing highlights what is clearly a deficiency. He has clearly dropped down the pecking order now anyway, but you cannot have your main number nine not able to step up and take one of the first five penalties in a massive game like that.
“[Hamza] Igamane has now made himself what you’d regard as the main striker at Rangers, Danilo is coming ack and he’s fit, scores a great goal by equalising in that last minute of the game. You’d imagine that they’ll be looking at trying to offload Dessers, I’d think. I think it’s plain and simple and they’d be looking to get somebody else in the door.”
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