Neil Lennon impressed as Rangers sign ‘powerful’ player Celtic once eyed

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Rangers have snapped up striker Cyriel Dessers but he could have ended up joining Neil Lennon at Celtic in another world.

The Gers made Dessers a top target this summer and the rumours rumbled on for weeks and weeks.

In the end, Rangers finally landed their man last week, confirming Dessers had arrived from Cremonese in Italy.

Rangers have struck a deal worth €5million (£4.25million) plus €1.5million (£1.3million) according to Fabrizio Romano with Dessers penning a four-year deal.

The hope now is that Nigerian international Dessers can hit the ground running and find the back of the net regularly.

Dessers will be relied upon heavily against Celtic, both in derby games against the Bhoys and in terms of the title race.

What’s interesting is that whilst Dessers settles into life in Glasgow, he could have been joining the green side of the city a while ago…

Neil Lennon claims Celtic eyed Cyriel Dessers

Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon has now been speaking about Dessers after his move to Ibrox.

Lennon was on the Go Radio Football Show on Monday evening and highlighted how Dessers was on the Celtic radar once upon a time.

Lennon claims to have scouted Dessers during his time at Heracles Almelo, where he smashed 18 goals in 29 games during the 2019-20 season.

Celtic were tracking Dessers but ended up going in another direction, signing Albian Ajeti from West Ham United instead.

That move didn’t really work out and Dessers ended up joining Genk instead.

Lennon notes that Dessers is ‘powerful’ and a real goalscorer even if he lacks a bit of technique at times.

Lennon admitted that Dessers came up on the Celtic radar and is now impressed to see him at Rangers, believing that Michael Beale has pulled off ‘decent business’ by bringing Dessers to Ibrox.

“I watched him when he was at Heracles and he was the leading goalscorer in the Dutch league that season,” said Lennon. “He’s a big, powerful player, he lacks a little bit of technique sometimes, with the soft feet. But he’s a goalscorer and I think at £4.5million he could be a great bit of business for Rangers. They needed a striker and they’ve got one in the building now.”

“He was one of the players that came up. You’ve many, many options in that position and Cyriel was one of them. He went on to Cremonese for a while. But his goal record is good and he’s a physical type. He’s quick, strong and he’s a goal in him. For £4.5million, I think that’s decent business,” he added.