Report – Rangers plot double swoop for Lyndon Dykes and Lewis Ferguson
Rangers are eyeing up a double swoop for Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson and Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes, according to the Scottish Sun.
A report from the national outlet suggests that the duo are high on manager Steven Gerrard’s summer wish list as he looks to assemble a squad capable of usurping Celtic at the summit of the Scottish Premiership table next term.
It is understood that it is becoming increasingly likely that Alfredo Morelos will be sold this summer if his asking price is met, with Ibrox chiefs set to hand Gerrard any cash from the sale for immediate reinvestment.
That could see the boss turn to 24-year-old Dykes to fill the void left by the Colombian’s departure.
Ferguson has also emerged as another target for the Gers, with Gerrard eager to strengthen his midfield too.
The report does make a point of reminding us that the 20-year-old still has four years left to run on his deal at Pittodrie, however, as well as claiming that there is “major uncertainty” surrounding the transfer market at the moment and the extent to which clubs will be able to operate amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
Will Rangers be able to pull of this double swoop?
The chances are that a lot of it will depend on whether or not Morelos is sold.
As recently as April, it was reported that the Gers have set an asking price of £35 million for their man.
If they were able to bring in that amount for him, they should have more than enough in the kitty to land Dykes and Ferguson, with a fair wedge of change besides.
In the event of Morelos leaving you would assume that signing a new striker will have to be the priority this summer.
And you would like to think that Dykes could do a job for the Gers, even though he is a hugely to different player to Morelos.
So far this season, for example, he has an xG rating of 0.31, compared to Morelos’ xG of 0.72, as per Wyscout.
Those numbers make more sense when you consider the fact that he has just 1.93 shots per game to the South American’s 4.96.
But Dykes exceeds the Ibrox star in other ways.
On average, he contests 23.84 aerial duels per game, with a win rate of 40.3%.
That’s a considerable contrast to Morelos, who contests just 3.72 aerial duels and wins just in in three of those.
The Livingston man also wins an average of 14.85 more attacking duels per game than El Bufalo.
His arrival would have to lead to a bit of an adjustment in the way that the Gers play, but he is certainly enough of a handful to suggest that he could be a danger at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox View: Reported Florin Andone interest does not feel like a wise move for Gers.