Philippe Clement must steer well clear of Fabio Silva at Wolves as Rangers transfer news emerges
Philippe Clement will need to get his priorities straight in the January transfer window at Rangers after fresh links emerge on Wolves striker Fabio Silva.
According to The Daily Record, in its print edition (26 December, pg 42), the Gers have been offered the chance to sign the Portuguese youngster in January on a loan deal.
Celtic have also been offered the Portuguese sensation who has barely featured all season for his club and is set to exit Molineux in January until the end of the season.
Interest has been reported from both Old Firm clubs, with Celtic set to be busy as they look to arrest the slump under Brendan Rodgers with Rangers flying right now.
If Rangers wanted to get their January window off to a cracking start, the door looks to be open for that to exactly happen for Clement, with the Belgian providing a clear stance of his plans to splash the cash.
Silva has recently enjoyed a loan spell in Belgium with Anderlecht in recent years, so the manager likely knows the 23-year-old and what his game is about from taking in the action there.
However, this is a move the Light Blues must steer well clear of as not only are there more pressing areas of the squad to desperately address in January, but Silva’s record doesn’t make him an attractive proposition.
The reported Gers target, has struggled at Premier League level so far this season for Wolves as he has zero goals and zero assists in eight matches.
In fact, Silva has just four goals and three assists in 62 top-flight outings [Transfermarkt] in total since his move to England – a record which certainly doesn’t scream of instant success at Ibrox, characteristics which Clement will need if they are to topple Celtic for the SPFL title.
There is no hiding away from the fact that the 21-year-old marksman’s form and time in English football has been woeful. He has not provided goals or assists on an even semi-regular basis.
Also, Rangers possess a striker in terrific form right now in Cyriel Dessers who has so far three goals and two assists in his last five games (SofaScore) and has recorded nine goals in all competitions this season [Transfermarkt], this despite all the criticism thrown his way since signing at Ibrox.
Not only Dessers, but Abdallah Sima has proven a tremendous success with 14 goals in all competitions and Danilo, despite his injury worries, has so far 11 goal contributions to his name (six goals and five assists).
There have been calls for Rangers to get in a proven goalscorer but Silva certainly isn’t that man and given the small pool of them available potentially in the winter, it might be more wise to address a depleted weaponry in midfield.
John Lundstram recently joined the worrying injury list at Clement’s disposal, with the Belgian coach now without eight first-team players in Nicolas Raskin, Danilo, Ryan Jack, Steven Davies, Scott Wright and Tom Lawrence.
While those absences are a huge blow to Clement, it is certainly much of a bigger one that most of those players out is arguably the most important role in his system, especially the midfielders.
The signing of Silva is a no-go zone for Rangers and Clement.
If they can find the proven and clinical striker they need, then that’s all well and great but as pointed out previously, it may be more wise to address an area of the squad that is in desperate need of numbers and quality, striker isn’t one of them.
In other Rangers news, Tavernier and Goldson were both said to be shocked by the behaviour of Beale during preseason.