Exclusive: To replace Celtic legend, Rangers are close to reaching a seven-figure deal for a crucial player.
Rangers and Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers are reportedly “close” to reaching an agreement for Dessers to depart the team. The 29-year-old striker has been one of Rangers’ most intriguing and divisive players in recent seasons, and his performances have continued to divide supporters.
There are conflicting opinions about whether the Ibrox striker can lead the team to victory this season—he has already scored three goals—and there have been rumors of his departure circulating all summer. However, the deal appears to have fallen through because the large striker was unable to reach a personal agreement. Rangers and MLS team Atlanta United were on the verge of agreeing on a price for Cyriel Dessers.
Interest in MLS for Cyriel Dessers
All summer long, Cyriel Dessers has been in regular contact with the Rangers exit door. First, there were reports that Greek team PAOK was in talks to relocate to Thessaloniki with Dessers’ agents. However, there was also allegedly strong interest at the same time from a variety of locations; Heart & Hand mentioned suitors from Saudi Arabia, Italy, France, and Spain.
Italian journalist Luca Benoni now claims that Rangers and US team Atlanta United were “close” to agreeing to a $6 million (£4.6 million) deal for the striker. The journalist claims that personal differences caused the move to fail, nevertheless.
The estimated £4.6 million is comparable to the cost Rangers paid Cremonese, an Italian club, for Dessers’ services in the previous summer. According to the source, Atlanta United is trying to find a striker to replace Giorgos Giakoumakis, a former player for the Celtics. This summer, the Greek striker joined Cruz Azul of Liga MX, moving from the MLS team in a reported $10 million (£7.6 million) transaction.
The striker for Rangers “would like to stay”
Following recent transfer rumors, the conversation around Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers will only get more heated. The Nigerian international hitman wearing the “number nine” jersey at Ibrox is still up for debate for a lot of fans.
With Cyriel expected to lead the line when Abdallah Sima, Danilo, and Kemar Roofe were out, the attacker struggled with a depth of injuries at Ibrox last season. With Danilo coming back and Rangers preparing Hamza Igamane for a late-season squad entrance, things might be a little different this season.
Cyriel Dessers has made it plain that he would “like to stay” in Glasgow and continue to have an impact on Rangers, despite the rumors of his departure. In July, Dessers told Dutch reporters, “I would like to stay here because I am very happy here.” “I plan to stay and we will see what happens, but there is some interest.” Dessers, a former hitman for Genk, Feyenoord, and Utrecht, has made 59 appearances for the Rangers, with 10 assists and 25 goals.