Only a few months ago, the narrative surrounding Mateo Cassierra – as far as the Rangers fans were concerned – was that of a £4 million bullet dodged.
“He’s had moments (of promise). The problem is that he can’t score.”
That was the assessment of former CSKA Moscow ace-turned-pundit Roman Oreshchuk. Having scored only six goals throughout 2022/23 – two of those coming in 26 Russian Premier League appearances – it was certainly difficult to argue with Oreshchuk’s rather blunt conclusion.
So, what’s changed? How has the one-time Rangers target gone from a £4 million flop to the leading contender for the RPL’s Golden Boot, in the space of just a few short months?
Former Rangers target Mateo Cassierra back in form
According to Zenit St Petersburg’s assistant coach Igor Simutenkov, speaking to Sport24, Cassierra’s sudden return to form is testament not only to his quality but also his mentality.
“Mateo scored a lot at FC Sochi. At Zenit things went badly at first, but Mateo trained well and does a lot of work. He presses and, as a forward, he is equipped with everything. Execution and technique,” Simutenkov explains.
“When you don’t score for a long time, it’s depressing. He was probably very worried, but he tried. I was sure that, this season, Cassierra would finally break through.”
He’s certainly done that.
The former Ajax youngster – who appeared to confirm Rangers’ interest back in 2022 after pointing out that Giovanni van Bronckhorst knew him from their time in the Eredivisie – has already scored more goals this term than he managed in the whole of the last one (Daily Record).
With nine in nine starts, Cassierra is three clear at the top of the RPL standings. In all competitions, he has ten goals and five assists from 16 games.
Cassierra can’t stop scoring
So, with Cyriel Dessers, Danilo and Sam Lammers all enduring sluggish starts to life at Ibrox, the Rangers trio could do worse than to take inspiration from a man who could have ended up in Glasgow some 12 months earlier.
A revitalised, rejuvenated Cassierra is proof that one bad season does not equal one bad player.
