Rangers legend Barry Ferguson is excited to see what Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers have to offer at Ibrox after the two forwards arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion and Cremonese.
Next season, Rangers could conceivably line up with a front four of Todd Cantwell (once a £40 million-rated Liverpool target), Sam Lammers (formerly an £8 million Atalanta striker), and two forwards who broke the 20-goal barrier during 2020/21 at Slavia Prague and at Feyenoord in 2021/22 respectively.
Rangers have had to get creative in the market. The likes of Cantwell and Sima would have been simply too expensive a couple of years ago but, after suffering a fall from grace, Rangers have swooped in to complete deals which come with a degree of risk, yes, but potentially sky-high rewards.
Sima joins on loan after failing to make a competitive appearance in two years at Brighton. Dessers, meanwhile, arrives for an initial £4.3 million after suffering relegation in Serie A with Cremonese.
If both players – plus Lammers – can recapture their previous form, Rangers will have a strikeforce capable of going head-to-head at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Ferguson, however, is not getting carried away just yet, even if the early signs look good.
Rangers sign Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers
“I’ll reserve judgement on the new signings until I’ve had a good look at them in the flesh,” the former captain tells the Daily Record.
“I’ve watched a lot of videos of the likes of Dessers and Abdallah Sima. And, as much as they look very exciting additions, it’s what they do when they pull that jersey on that counts.
“It’s not about looking the part on a YouTube showreel.”
Dessers becomes Rangers sixth signing of the summer already; joining Sima, Lammers, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland and Dujon Sterling.
And Ferguson believes Mick Beale’s re-jigged side is well placed to make a promising start to the new campaign, the benefits of a full pre-season aiding a period of adaptation.
First things first; Rangers certainly ain’t messing about with their recruitment drive this summer,” Ferguson adds. “And I have to say, it’s most unlike my old club to be so organised and on the front foot in the transfer market.
“As always, the proof will be in the pudding when we actually get to see what these new guys look like wearing a blue shirt. But, purely in terms of getting their business done, I have to give huge credit to Michael Beale and his new look board.
“When you’re overseeing such a massive rebuild – and shelling out so much money in fees – the first priority is to minimise the element of risk.
“And the first way to do that is to get as many of them in the door as possible right at the start of pre-season. It gives the manager and the new players time to bed in and get to know what each other is about.”
