Rangers-linked 24-year-old hands in transfer request – reliable journalist
Peterborough striker Siriki Dembele has handed in a transfer request amid interest from Rangers, according to Sun reporter Tom Barclay.
Dembele is the older brother of Celtic’s Karamoko Dembele and he has been linked with a January switch to numerous clubs, including Rangers.
An earlier report from the Peterborough Telegraph claimed that Rangers had watched the 24-year-old on a few occasions.
With the January transfer window well underway it seems as though the striker is looking to force a move with Barclay reporting that the forward has handed in a transfer request.
On Monday afternoon, Barclay tweeted, “I’m told Siriki Dembele has handed in a transfer request at Peterborough”.
It is unknown if Rangers will now make a move for the wantaway attacker as there were several Premier League clubs also reportedly interested in signing Dembele.
The forward has five goals and five assists in 17 League One appearances this season but his goalscoring record is heavily skewed by a hattrick he scored against Shrewsbury in October.
At the time of writing, Dembele has now gone eight league games without scoring but he has picked up two assists in that time.
This record isn’t going to have too many Gers fans excited about the potential arrival of Dembele but if he is a target for the Light Blues then Steven Gerrard must feel that he can do a job.
Gerrard may be wanting attacking cover in the case of Alfredo Morelos’ poor goalscoring record continuing or a potential injury blow to a key man.
It remains to be seen how Peterborough will respond to Dembele’s transfer request as they may not let one of their key men leave halfway through the season.
With Dembele a reported target for several clubs, a bidding war could now start for the in-demand 24-year-old and this is something Rangers may want to steer clear of considering the forward’s poor recent form.
In other Rangers news, Andy Gray remains coy about Rangers’ chances of winning the league.