It has not taken long for Premier League interest to emerge in one of Rangers’ new faces.
Just over five months, for instance.
In that time, Hamza Igamane swapped Morocco for Scotland, went from someone you would not recognise at a Glasgow bus stop to one of the posterboys of Philippe Clement’s attempted Rangers revolution.
After a relatively slow start – Clement was wary of throwing Igamane in at the deep end even if he never had any doubts about the youngster’s potential – the £1.7 million signing from RAF Rabat has exploded onto the scene, that Europa League brace at Nice lighting the fuse for his Rangers career.
Heading into Sunday’s Scottish Cup final, he had ousted Cyriel Dessers from Clement’s XI. Hamza Igamane scored against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League a few days earlier, taking his tally to five goals in just five games.
Rangers defender Leon Balogun even likens Igamane to Didier Drogba.
- READ MORE: Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present
Sean Dyche speaks on Everton transfers amid links with Rangers’ Hamza Igamane
What’s more, TBR Football have been informed that Everton scouted Rangers’ number 27 as he converted a trademark James Tavernier cross against Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs side a week ago.
And with Everton finally bringing an end to the miserable Farhad Moshiri era – the Friedkin Group completed their £400 million takeover of 99.5 per cent of the club on Thursday – what does this mean for The Toffees’ pursuit of a centre-forward who’s reputation, and his price-tag, has risen considerably since that £1.7 million switch?
Well, fortunately for Rangers, not much. Not at this early stage of the Friedkin regime, anyway.
Everton manager Sean Dyche was asked in his Friday press conference what impact those new owners – headlined by American billionaire Dan Friedkin – would have on the club’s transfer plans.
As long as Everton remain under pressure from the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, however, big-money dealings at Goodison Park will remain in pretty short supply.
“What [the takeover] will do is give us a more level playing field,” Dyche said ahead of Everton’s hosting of Chelsea on Sunday. “There will be some form of advice on where the finances are from inside. The difference is, when we are talking about outside as regards transfers, is the PSR situation.
“That has still got to be adhered to.”
Everton’s Igamane chances likely to rely on finances
Everton spent around £40 million last summer, though much of that was financed by the £50 million sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa.
The iNews report that Everton will likely to be restricted to low-cost signings in the January transfer window with the prospect of spending their way out of relegation danger viewed as ‘impossible’. Of course, this does not entirely rule out the prospect of Hamza Igamane heading south of the border.
At this stage, it is a mystery how much Rangers would demand.
Another of the centre-forwards on Everton’s radar, meanwhile, is Yuri Alberto. TBR report that Corinthians want a £5 million loan fee for the Brazil international, plus a further £15 million to make Yuri Alberto’s transfer permanent the following summer.
Rangers’ own transfer window, meanwhile, is likely to revolve around midfield additions.
Rangers News can exclusively reveal that Rangers are watching NK Osijek ace Marko Soldo closely. FCSB captain Darius Olaru has been tipped for Ibrox too, and not for the first time.
