Hoping to turn the tide on Celtic in the race to secure the Scottish Premiership title, Rangers enjoyed a busy January transfer window, welcoming as a number of reinforcements for Philippe Clement’s side. Now, even after the deadline, they could add another fresh face.
Rangers transfer news
The Gers left it late, but did eventually add Oscar Cortes to the already-arrived Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande. After the winger put pen to paper on a loan deal until the end of the season, Clement expressed his delight over the move, saying via BBC Sport: “I am really delighted to add Oscar to our squad.
“Our discussions have been really positive, and I believe he will be a big asset to the squad as we fight across three fronts for the remainder of this season. Oscar is really enthusiastic about our aims and ambitions as a team, and his skillset will provide welcome competition to our forward line.”
One problem that those at Ibrox did fail to fix in the last month, however, is their striker issue, having watched on as Sam Lammers failed to make an impact since the summer before leaving on loan. They could yet find an unexpected solution, though. According to Ryan Rowe of The Scottish Sun, Rangers could move to sign Dwight Gayle, who has just been released from Stoke City and is, therefore, a free agent.
Those at Ibrox may have to fend off interest from Celtic to secure the former Premier League striker, but it could be a deal that ends up making a surprise difference. With the window now closed, Gayle could be Clement’s only hope of finding a solution to his forward woes in the remainder of the Scottish Premiership campaign.
Rangers should take chance on “great” Gayle
Whilst things didn’t work out at Stoke, Gayle has shown in the past that he is more than capable of finding the back of the net. At 34 years old, he is now seeking one more chance to prove that, and Rangers, with nothing to lose, should take a chance on the striker, especially given that it would be a free deal. Gayle’s Championship record shows how clinical he can be.
|
Dwight Gayle in the Championship |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
145 |
|
Goals |
62 |
|
Assists |
21 |
Earning plenty of praise during his time at Newcastle United, Rafael Benitez had nothing but good things to say about Gayle. The former manager said via Chronicle Live: “It is not just because he is scoring goals, he is working hard and was also doing a great job today between the lines. And you could see that the wingers and the midfielders are running more along with the defence.”
Now, Clement will be hoping to benefit from the forward returning to his best form. As the Scottish Premiership title race comes to a head, a consistent goalscorer leading the line may well prove all the difference in a season-defining move for those at Rangers.
