Rangers could sign £40k-p/w “gamechanger”

Glasgow Rangers striker Hamza Igamane has been one of the few bright lights of a rather underwhelming season.

The Moroccan arrived at Ibrox with plenty of raised eyebrows among the supporters, yet his performances on the pitch proved all the doubters wrong.

Due to his excellent form in January, Igamane was awarded the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month award recently, having netted five goals throughout the month, including an impressive hat-trick against Hibs.

Philippe Clement has a special talent on his hands. The question is, how long will he remain a Rangers player?

Hamza Igamane’s future at Rangers

The 22-year-old scored against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League just before Christmas as the Gers secured a point against the North Londoners. Following the game, there were reports that scouts from Everton had travelled to watch the striker in action.

The Toffees weren’t the only team beginning to show interest in the Moroccan sensation, however, as West Ham United, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Newcastle United had all watched Igamane in action.

Rumours have persisted throughout the January transfer window, but it appears that only a mind-boggling offer will be enough to convince Clement to sell before the deadline on Monday.

Igamane won’t be at Ibrox for long though, especially if he maintains his current level of performance until the end of the campaign.

Hamza Igamane’s season in numbers

A return of 13 goals in 28 matches is certainly impressive, especially given the fact he hadn’t played senior football outside of Africa until his move to Scotland last summer.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is just how well Igamane has performed in Europe. Many didn’t expect him to be given much of a chance during the first few months of the season, but four goals in the Europa League demonstrate how effective the former AS FAR centre-forward has been in the final third.

When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s secondary competition, Igamane currently ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals (1.01), the top 5% for successful take-ons (2.53) and in the top 13% for shot-creating actions across the tournament this season so far.

No wonder clubs such as Everton are taking interest in the youngster, who, if he carries on like this, will have an extraordinarily bright future in football. No doubt about that.

It may prove to be difficult for the Light Blues to keep him at the club beyond this summer, especially with Premier League clubs sniffing around him.

Signing a potential replacement this month might be stretching things, especially as there are several areas which require strengthening first, but another centre-forward must surely be signed this summer.

It looks as though the manager is looking at options already, as the Ibrox side have been linked with a former international striker…

Rangers could land dream Igamane replacement

As reported earlier this week by journalist Alan Nixon, Rangers are monitoring the situation of Nottingham Forest centre-forward Emmanuel Dennis, who is seeking to end his nightmare spell at the club.

Championship clubs Watford and Sheffield Wednesday are also showing interest in the Nigerian international striker, but the Gers could well have the upper hand, especially with the chance to play in Europe and challenge for trophies.

Dennis hasn’t been named in a single matchday squad this term by manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with his last appearance for the club coming way back in May 2023.

Could Dennis be an ideal replacement for Igamane? It remains to be seen whether Clement is seeking a move before the window closes, or if he will wait until the summer transfer window.

Why Emmanuel Dennis would be a good signing for Rangers

The £40k-per-week striker might not have made an impact this season for Forest, but there is no doubting that with the right club, he could shine.

Indeed, he began to showcase his talents back in 2018, scoring twice for Club Brugge during a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Following these displays for the Belgian side, Dennis ended up joining Watford for a fee in the region of just £3.6m and it turned out to be a wonderful piece of transfer business by the club.

A return of ten Premier League goals and six assists may not have been enough to keep the Vicarage Road side in the top flight, but his performances caught the eye of Forest, who splurged £20m to bring him to the club in August 2022.

The move didn’t work out, however, scoring just twice in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign. Manager Steve Cooper did lavish plenty of praise on the 27-year-old upon his arrival, saying:

Loan spells with Basaksehir and Watford last season produced just four goals in total, but it is evident that escaping his current situation at Forest would allow him to play regularly again.

Igamane should remain at Rangers until the summer at least, but the more goals he scores, the harder it will be for Clement to keep him at Ibrox.

The Gers must be wary of past mistakes in the transfer market. Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos were two prized assets at the club and could have been sold for millions.

The board allowed both of their contracts to run down, however, meaning the pair left for nothing in May 2023. The same cannot happen concerning Igamane. Clement must get the best deal possible for the player.

If so, then signing Dennis as a replacement could be a wise move indeed, especially judging by his supreme talents in front of goal.

The next couple of days could be very interesting at Ibrox. Expect at least another signing heading through the doors before the window closes.

Let’s just hope Igamane isn’t going the other way.

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