Cyriel Dessers might not be everyone’s cup of tea at Rangers, but the maverick striker has drawn a reaction from Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho.
Rangers fans have had plenty of frustrations when it comes to Cyriel Dessers, who has blown hot and cold throughout his two seasons in Glasgow.
But there can be no denying that when the Ibrox number nine turns it on, there are few defenders out there capable of dealing with his bruising, relentless and often ruthless displays.
There’s a reason why Dessers has been recalled to the Nigeria set up in recent weeks.
It’s in Europe where Rangers have often seen the best of Cyriel, who was on top form to help down Fenerbahce in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16.
But whilst the praise rings out around Europe, Rangers legend Ronald de Boer has long had the hitman’s number.
Jose Mourinho in Cyriel Dessers ‘best player in the world’ claim
Jose Mourinho knows a thing or two about the beautiful game and the Fenerbahce manager hailed Cyriel Dessers at full-time.
The Rangers striker put in a tireless display to lead the line in Turkey, opening the scoring for Rangers and assisting Vaclav Cerny with a wonderful through ball for the team’s second.
Laying off Nicolas Raskin to thread in Vaclav Cerny for the third, the Ibrox hitman had a role in all three goals and might’ve scored a hat-trick himself.
VAR was on hand to bail Fenerbahce out in Istanbul with two agonisingly close offside calls which really could’ve gone either way.
Jose Mourinho reacted to the striker’s performance at full time and claims Fenerbahce made the hitman look like the ‘world’s best player’.
”Dessers is a good player,” Mourinho said, as quoted by the Rangers Review. “But today he looked like the best player in the world, but he is not.”
Ronald de Boer summed Cyriel Dessers up perfectly
Jose Mourinho’s comments on Cyriel Dessers might remind Rangers fans of comments made by Ronald de Boer when the hitman signed on at Ibrox.
Rangers paid Cremonese a reported £4.5m to sign Dessers under Michael Beale in 2023 and Ibrox legend De Boer told the Gers support what to expect.
It’s up to you to decide whether or not Ronald has Cyriel’s number, but we reckon the legendary Dutch attacker is pretty close.
“Dessers is a very opportunistic player,” explained De Boer, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“If he’s not in form, or when the confidence is not there, he’s a very limited player. Then you think, ‘Who the hell did we sign here!’.
“But when the guy has confidence then you think, ‘Woah! Where is this coming from?’. Because when he’s playing at his best he does everything on instinct. He waits for his prey and then he attacks.
“But, for me, he’s a player who, when he’s feeling comfortable and the manager believes in him, he can add a lot of value. But it all depends on if he’s feeling good. If he feels good he’ll give Rangers a lot of pleasure. But it can also go the other way.”
