Barry Ferguson shares ‘priceless’ Cyriel Dessers verdict with £20m Rangers boost on the cards
Cyriel Desser’s start to his Rangers career has been “slow” but his two assists in the Champions League could be “priceless” if they help the Gers reach the group stages, according to Barry Ferguson.
Ferguson claimed (25 August) that Rangers’ second-leg clash against PSV on Wednesday (30 August) is the ideal chance for Michael Beale’s men to prove their worth, but Dessers’ two assists on the first leg may prove significant.
The club’s qualification to the Champions League group stages would reward them with a £20million prize which would go a long way in suring up Rangers’ finances.
Writing for the Daily Record, Ferguson said: “But next week is a chance for some of Beale’s men to prove they can cut it at Ibrox. Dessers has had a slow start in Scotland but I thought he showed signs of his quality on Tuesday.
“As a striker you are judged on end product and the two assists he provided could yet be priceless if they end up helping to place a £20million Champions League deposit in the Ibrox coffers.”
Impact
A striker will always be measured by how many goals they score. While Dessers has scored two goals so far in his short Rangers career, his impact as a creator has been his biggest contribution so far.
The criticism aimed at Dessers’ lack of goals so far is justifiable. Rangers fans have high expectations for their regular striker and his poor return so far is cause for concern. While there is a feeling that he will settle and kick on as the season progresses, the high-stakes opening to the campaign has left Ibrox wanting more.
However, the Dutchman’s role in Rangers’ 2-2 Ibrox draw against PSV was significant. While Abdallah Sima should get the bulk of the credit for his opening screamer, Dessers’ presence in the box, aggression in reclaiming possession and his composure to find Sima must not go unnoticed.
His pass for Rabbi Matondo’s equaliser was Kevin De Bruyne-esque. Todd Cantwell’s excellence in the build-up was significant too, but Dessers’ cross-field pass removed the entire PSV defence from the action and allowed Matondo to slot the ball away.
Dessers was instrumental in Rangers’ success on the night and he showed the all-round game that caused Beale to bring him to Glasgow.
Should Champions League qualification become a reality, Dessers’ role should not be understated. His two assists may have already paid off his £4.5million price tag.
In other Rangers news, the Gers could miss out on a top target to a fellow SPFL side.