Medical complete: Benie Traore to jet into UK as Rangers transfer race concludes
Benie Traore is set to join Premier League side Sheffield United despite interest from Rangers and Celtic, according to Alan Nixon.
Posting on his Patreon (18 July), The Sun journalist claimed that the 20-year-old will join the Blades from Swedish side BK Hacken in a £4million deal amid interest from Michael Beale’s side this summer, but the winger could not resist the call to join the English top flight.
Despite reports that Rangers had completed a deal [Sportbladet], the newly-promoted side will secure the services of the 14-goal season youngster.
Nixon adds that Traore has completed his Sheffield United medical in Sweden and is now to jet into the UK to finalise his move to Bramall Lane.
Plenty more fish
Rangers have been closely linked with a move with Traore to bolster their attacking options. But, all window Rangers have been upgrading their attacking line, so missing out on the Ivorian will not send shockwaves through the club.
With Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima all coming to Ibrox, as well as Feyenoord’s Danilo edging closer and closer to a move [Daily Record], missing out on Traore is no disaster but perhaps a shame considering his impressive stats.
He scored 14 goals in just 17 games in all competitions for BK Hacken as they became champions of the Swedish top flight.
Traore is blessed with a rapid pace and exceptional technical ability that allows him to beat his man regularly and bring others into play. His reliable passing too is facilitated by his strong hold-up play in the final third, which makes him a dangerous presence outside the area.
His goalscoring can be lethal too as he is adept at controlling the ball in tight spaces and quickly getting a shot away. Such desirable attributes make it clear why Beale targeted him, but many of these attributes are possessed by Danilo.
Perhaps an overlap in attributes between both players will ease Beale’s pain. The winger position is still an area Beale may consider improving even if Danilo signs, and the reported £4million is a relatively cheap cost for a highly-rated talent like Traore.
However, Rangers’ transfer policy thus far has been intelligent, shrewd and economical and fans will not be in fear of a disastrous window.
In other Rangers news, one of Ibrox’s long-term midfielders has reportedly agreed terms with a Championship side.