Mick Beale, when quizzed on the prospect of bringing attacking additions to Rangers during the summer transfer window, spoke openly about his desire to add something ‘different’ to the Ibrox roster.
“I think I’ll have a clearer picture in the summer,” Beale told the Scottish Sun at the end of January.
“I’d like to bring another ‘number nine’ in who is different to the ones we’ve got. I’ve got my eye on a target who is probably not available right now. But (he) will be in the summer.”
Whether or not he was talking about Josh Maja – the former Sunderland, Stoke City and Fulham frontman linked with a move to Ibrox – is anyone’s guess. But if Beale really wants someone capable of offering a ‘different’ dimension to his Rangers attack, the London-born Nigeria international could fit the bill.
A combination of Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos?
Antonio Colak is a poacher, pure and simple; all his best work coming within the confines of the penalty area. Alfredo Morelos is far more rambunctious – powertool rather than a paintbrush – but lacks serious technical ability. Fashion Sakala, meanwhile, is fast and direct but wasteful.
Maja’s emergence as not only a prolific goalscorer but a highly-versatile, well-rounded attacker across the Channel at Bordeaux, however, could potentially see Rangers land their most ‘complete’ striker since Kemar Roofe arrived from Anderlecht.
Maja took his seasonal tally to 15 against Grenoble on Monday. He did so not from a centre-forward role but while playing instead as a roving number ten.
“All season, I’ve been a little off the hook (in a free role). Today, I took more liberties and I think I had a good match,” Maja tells SudOuest.
“Josh Maja has the ability to collect the ball very quickly and very cleanly,” adds reporter Laurent Brun. “He also knew how to poach goal at the far post. He is very incisive and clinical in the penalty area, we know that.”
In Maja, Rangers could find a striker who combines Colak’s predatory instincts with the intelligence of a fully-fit Roofe and the link-play of Morelos. A ‘number ten’ and a ‘number nine’ rolled into one.
