Rangers are hoping to seal the signing of Atalanta striker Sam Lammers before the end of next week with talks over a £3 million deal with the Serie A outfit advancing.
The smart money appeared to be on another Italy-based attacker becoming Rangers’ first centre-forward signing of a hectic summer window.
But while there is still a more-than decent chance that Cyriel Dessers ends up at Ibrox after suffering relegation with Cremonese, it seems that the former Feyenoord loanee will be pipped to the post by one Sam Lammers.
Rangers close in on Sam Lammers deal with Atalanta
Lammers, like Dessers, made his name in the Dutch Eredivisie. He started out at PSV Eindhoven but caught the eye at Heerenveen.
An outstanding 19-goal campaign in Friesland in 2018/19 – during which Lammers earned praise from Erik ten Hag and comparisons to the legendary Marco van Basten – paved the way for an £8 million move to Atalanta.
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“I think Lammers is a very smart football player,” Ten Hag said a few years ago. “Compliments to the club and the coach (Gian Piero Gasperini, for signing him).”
It is fair to say, however, that things haven’t worked out for the skilful striker in Bergamo. And, after forgettable loan spells at Empoli and Sampdoria, Atalanta are willing to let Lammers go for a sizeable loss.
Rangers, according to The Herald, entered talks this week over a deal which could set them back just £3 million. A potential bargain of a fee. Presuming, of course, that the now-26-year-old can rediscover the form that once put him among the Eredivisie’s most stylish and artful goalscorers.
The report adds that Lammers is a player who has been ‘identified’ by Gers boss Mick Beale specifically. There is hope at Ibrox that the one-time PSV prospect could even be confirmed as the club’s latest new face within the next 10 days or so; potentially joining Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland and the imminently-arriving Jose Cifuentes.
Lammers was linked with Newcastle United before joining Atalanta back in 2019.