Rangers transfer news: £5million Cyriel Dessers signing at risk of late hijack
The long-mooted Rangers signing of Cyriel Dessers may now be at risk of a late collapse after Torino joined the race for the Nigerian international, according to Tuttosport.
The Light Blues were reportedly “close to striking a deal at around the £5 million mark” to sign the Cremonese striker [Daily Record, 12 June], to pair him with fellow new arrival from Italy Sam Lammers.
But with Torino technical director Davide Vagnati looking to furnish manager Ivan Juric with a strong squad ready for the start of their preseason training camp in a month’s time they are now looking at the 28-year-old as well.
Torino may also have a shortcut to reaching an agreement for Dessers amid the suggestion that Cremonese like their players Demba Seck and Gvidas Gineitis.
Michael Beale has publicly said he wants to sign multiple strikers this summer, with Alfredo Morelos already gone, so needs more than just Lammers incoming at the position.
Inevitable
The pace and success-rate of the early window moves were impressive but it was always going to be impossible to keep them up throughout the summer.
The Dessers deal appears to have become bogged down in the same way the Jose Cifuentes move has, and to some extent the pursuit of Jonathan Panzo.
All three may yet still arrive at Ibrox as the Light Blues have put some effort into each of the potential signings by the sounds of things, but it is obviously a frustration to get some way down the line and have a competitor arrive that threatens proceedings.
If Cremonese want Torino players in return then that could shoot them past Rangers in the race to sign Dessers, unless the player has already been convinced of an Ibrox deal and puts his foot down.
It wasn’t going to be a cheap one either way, so if he proves to be out of reach it may yet open the door for Beale to pursue the likes of Josh Maja.
A second and possibly third striker are going to be needed this summer, so if this pursuit drags on in a way the Lammers move didn’t Rangers will need to have viable alternatives they can move onto if that point arrives.
In other Rangers news, transfer terms for a high-profile Ibrox move have been scrapped but the player could yet still arrive at the club this summer.