'Here we go': Rangers transfer impact after club 'strikes deal' for 10-goal striker
Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers may see a summer departure from Ibrox scuppered.
A potential move for Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers to AEK Athens has been thrown into further doubt after it was revealed that the Greek side are close to finalising a deal for AC Milan forward Luka Jović.
The Nigerian forward has been heavily linked with a move to the Super League giants throughout the summer, with reports indicating that the 30-year-old had ‘verbally agreed’ on personal terms on a move to OPAP Arena, though the switch hit a snag when the two clubs were unable to reach an agreement over the player’s valuation.
Rangers head coach Russell Martin spoke openly about Dessers’ future during his scathing post-match interview after the 1-1 draw against Motherwell at the weekend, saying: “Cyriel is the only one that we've actually had a bid for, and he comes on and he runs so hard,” following their opening day draw. “He’s not ready to start because he had an injury and he’s trained late, and then he comes on for two games and runs like a beast and gets on with it because he’s a good professional, a good human being.”
Despite praise from his head coach, links to a summer departure have continued to cloud the striker’s start to the campaign. However, the impending arrival of Jović could now have a knock-on effect regarding AEK Athens’ pursuit of Dessers, with his departure from Rangers surely in doubt once the AC Milan ace rubber stamps his move to the Greek Super League.
The addition of the Serbian international, who has scored 10 goals for his country, means Énosi could now call on any of Aboubakary Koïta, Anthony Martial, Zini or Jović in their forward line, potentially throwing their pursuit of the Rangers number nine into serious doubt.
According to a report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, 27-year-old Jović is set to sign a deal in the Greek capital until 2027, with Marko Nikolić’s side fighting off competition from Real Oviedo for the Serbian international over the weekend. He is expected in Athens soon to finalise the move.
The Scottish Premiership’s top scorer last season with 18 goals, Dessers has endured a turbulent two-year stint at Ibrox following his move from Cremonese in the summer of 2023. Despite scoring over 50 goals for the club, his time at Rangers has polarised fans, who have oscillated between praise and frustration, leading to debates about whether the club should opt to sell Dessers this summer, and reinvest in the squad, and AEK Athens’ subsequent interest.
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