Rangers could keep Abdallah Sima at Ibrox as Brighton loanee issues transfer update
Abdallah Sima could be enticed to re-sign for Rangers this summer if the club can work out a deal with Brighton, according to Chris Jack.
The attacker spoke to the media ahead of the Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts and after the Rangers Review journalist asked him about (19 April) whether his future be at Ibrox next season reports that the chance to win silverware could keep the “key” player at the club.
The Senegal international arrived at Rangers on a season-long loan from the Premier League club, for whom he has yet to make an appearance in three years, and appears to have now indicated publicly his openness to remain twice.
Sima said: “This was the perfect team for me. I came here to play games and score and get experience. I have some teammates who have really helped us, some experienced players. I am very happy now to be here to be honest. I didn’t expect to have a season like that.
“I am a winner and I want to win. I want to win everything here so that is why I enjoy this club. I hope to win everything for this club, for the fans because they deserve that.
“The most important thing is that I am really happy here. It is not just dependant on me. I am happy here, my family are as well. I am enjoying being here.”
Can Rangers afford to sign Abdallah Sima for Philippe Clement?
All things being equal Philippe Clement would surely jump at the chance to keep Sima in his squad next season, since the 22-year-old has probably been the most consistent attacking force at the club when fit.
Ironically it was not so much the three months he missed out injured that has proven to be the issue for the manager but the major slump across the team that has coincided with Sima’s long-awaited return.
It now looks like there will need to be extensive work done on the forward areas in the transfer market, and with the budget that will be available to Clement unclear it remains to be seen whether a permanent deal would be possible to sign the Brighton man and still afford to do other deals thereafter.
The Seagulls have seen fit to loan him out three times already without deeming him ready to feature in the Premier League, so a fourth temporary deal is surely the Light Blues’ best route to retaining the man who has scored 16 goals this season despite the long injury layoff.
If not then a deal to keep his replacement, and another weapon Clement has been deprived of by a significant injury, Oscar Cortes may be more doable when a striker seems certain to be required as well.
Sima is probably not yet the finished article so Brighton may be open to him continuing to develop with a club that he has made clear he is comfortable at, and given he the ability he has shown so far that would be a huge boost to the manager if he is once again attempting to close the gap on Celtic this summer.
In other Rangers news, a Clement target is “sold” on a move elsewhere despite an agreement for him to come to Ibrox.
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