With Rangers growing increasingly frustrated in their pursuit of Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers, Mick Beale could have done without Fabrizio Romano’s latest update surrounding the future of another wantaway centre-forward.
USA international Ricardo Pepi, Romano writes, is closing in on an imminent switch to Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven. Pepi, FC Augsburg’s £17 million record signing, should officially become a PSV player early this week.
As such, Rangers’ pursuit Danilo – the Feyenoord frontman emerging as an alternative to top target Dessers – may have just got that little bit more complicated.
Pepi, after all, was also on Feyenoord’s radar. His arrival at De Kuip would likely have opened the door for Danilo’s departure; the Daily Mail reporting that Rangers are keen to offer the former Ajax starlet a fresh start after he fell behind Santiago Gimenez in the Feyenoord pecking order during the second half of last season.
Instead, Pepi is joining a PSV side who finished one place and seven points behind Arne Slot’s champions. Feyenoord, then, will presumably put any decision over Danilo’s future on the backburner for the time being, with their preferred centre-forward target bound for Eindhoven.
Rangers turn to Feyenoord striker Danilo
Danilo scored 10 times as Feyenoord won only their second Eredivisie title this century. The 24-year-old made more appearances off the bench (20) than he did from the start (14) however, the ‘potential’ that had former Rangers hero Ronald de Boer drooling yet to be fully realised.
“Danilo has mastered (controlling the ball). He has soft feet,” De Boer told FOX Sports a couple of years ago. “He is really a Brazilian. A virtuoso. He can turn away (from defenders) very quickly and shoot with his left or right.
“(Danilo) has speed, vision and not only thinks about goals. He has an eye for his fellow players. He has the potential to become a very good striker.”
Rangers are reportedly confident of securing a loan deal for Brighton’s Abdallah Sima this week. It remains to be seen, however, if Beale views the versatile attacker as a winger or a centre-forward, with more ‘classic’ number nines such as Danilo, Dessers, Josh Maja and Matija Frigan still under consideration at Ibrox.
