Cyriel Dessers is an enigmatic player the likes of which Rangers fans have rarely seen. Capable of world-class moments of brilliance, yet equally capable of making you want to pull your hair out as he flounders within the same match.
The striker divides opinion among the Ibrox faithful, and he looks likely to depart during this summer's transfer window.
He netted 29 goals last season and boasts 51 in 109 appearances across his two campaigns in Glasgow.
Those are numbers Rangers supporters have yearned for since Alfredo Morelos’ peak in 2019/20. Yet, despite having a better goal ratio, Dessers isn’t loved like the Colombian once was.
The reason? Inconsistency. Dessers can be brilliant or disastrous, often swinging between the two with no apparent reason. He scores frequently, occasionally in big games, but has repeatedly fallen short when it truly mattered most.
At 30, it's time for Rangers to move the Nigerian international on and bring in a younger forward to support Hamza Igamane in leading the line. With 21-year-old Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israel striker Dor Turgeman reportedly arriving for £4 million, Rangers must secure the best possible deal for Dessers.
But how much is he worth? Signed for a reported £4.5 million under Michael Beale from Italian side Cremonese two years ago, the current Ibrox hierarchy has made clear they want to turn a profit if last season’s top scorer departs this window.
In truth, we should be demanding far more than the reported £5 million asking price. That figure is symptomatic of our poor trading model in recent years.
Yes, Dessers is frustrating and misses plenty of chances, but his goal record is the best for a Rangers striker in years. He’s scored across the board: in the Premiership, Old Firm matches, cup ties against lower-league sides, and in the Europa League, both in group and knockout stages.
Across the city, Celtic have turned tidy profits on fringe players, let alone stars. Rangers should be doing the same: boosting our assets instead of fixating on their flaws. A striker with his goal return should command a valuation of £10 million or more. Granted, his age affects that, but we should still be aiming to double our original investment.
There will be interest. A bidding war could unfold. Dessers has frustrated us, but he might thrive in a less demanding environment.
Based purely on goals, £7 million is a fair price. And we’ll need two players to replace him. If one is Turgeman, then we’ll need more income to fund another signing.
The new owners have pledged £20 million in investment, but that’s a base figure. If outgoings are maximised, that figure could rise significantly.
With smart negotiation, our spending could approach levels not seen since Dick Advocaat’s first season in charge. The scale of the rebuild demands it. The investment should reflect that.