John Bennett must meet Brighton price for Adballah Sima after Rangers win v Dundee
While it was by no means perfect, Rangers managed to find a way to beat Dundee at Ibrox on Saturday 9 December to maintain their unbeaten start under the management of Philippe Clement.
The Light Blues fell behind after only five minutes, but goals from Cyriel Dessers, James Tavernier and Abdallah Sima ensured that all three points remained in Glasgow, even after Jose Cifuentes was shown a red card late in the first half.
While he was only one of three goal scorers in Clement’s side, few players were as impressive as Sima who once again thrived from the left wing and Rangers should be doing all that they can to make his move permanent next summer.
According to reports, the Gers have opened preliminary talks with Brighton over extending Sima’s stay in Scotland beyond the end of the season, but the Premier League club’s current asking price is higher than Rangers are willing to pay [7 December, The Fourth Official].
But the 22-year-old display against Dundee showed exactly why the Light Blues should meet that asking price. No player for either side completed more dribbles in the difficult conditions than the Senegalese forward’s two efforts [Fotmob].
On top of his goal, Sima won the penalty for Tavernier’s spot kick as he drew an excellent foul from Aaron Donnelly so he fundamentally created the goal that helped Clement’s side restore their lead in the match.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance came after Rangers were reduced to 10 men as he battled away both on the ground and in the air to ensure that the Light Blues were able to cling on to all three points.
The Brighton loanee entered an incredible 22 duels in the match, coming away with possession in 16 of those battles. Although his aerial prowess isn’t the most obvious part of his game, he managed to win an incredible 83 per cent of his 12 duels.
With his strike against Dundee on Saturday, Sima has now scored 13 goals in all competitions for Rangers, including nine strikes in 16 Scottish Premiership matches. No player has scored more for the Light Blues in the league this season so it seems ridiculous that Rangers aren’t pushing to sign him permanently.
Michael Beale was backed heavily during the summer transfer window and while Rangers will be reluctant to spend so heavily again, they cannot miss the chance to secure Sima’s long-term future.
Clement has done all he can to earn John Bennett and James Bisgrove’s trust since being appointed at Ibrox, they should reward him for his excellent work by matching Brighton’s asking price to bring Sima to Glasgow permanently.
In other Rangers news, Kenny Miller was left in a rage by the decision to send Jose Cifuentes off against Dundee at Ibrox