Mark Guidi names player Rangers need to upgrade to be serious title contenders

Rangers must sign a better striker than Cyriel Dessers if they are serious about winning the Scottish Premiership, according to Mark Guidi.

The renowned journalist, speaking on the Go Radio Football Show [19 December, 19:49], has described the 30-year-old as a player who fails to meet the criteria of a “title-winning” centre-forward.

Dessers has added to his 22 goals last season with 12 and counting this term, but has recently been restricted to appearances off the bench by Philippe Clement and was slammed this week for failing to step up in the Scottish League Cup final penalty shootout against Celtic.

“Michael Beale paid at least £3million for [Dessers], and he will be a big earner as well,” Guidi explained.

“He’s got a good goal return but is he a title-winning number nine? Because that’s what Rangers set out to do every year for the following May.

“He’s not a title-winning number nine. He’s an honest professional, a good backup, but if you’re serious about being a champion, Cyriel Dessers isn’t your number nine.”

Cyriel Dessers being phased out at Rangers?

It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Rangers seek a move for Dessers in January, or at least at the end of the season.

The striker himself will want game time, and will probably feel harshly treated having failed to earn a start since he was hooked at half-time of the 1-1 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox on 23 November.

Dessers knows where the goal is, having regularly delivered in the box for the Light Blues, but the feeling that eats away at supporters and likely Clement and his staff to boot, is just how many more he could have tallied such is the chances with which he has found himself.

The best centre-forwards create their own opportunities, or at least take them nine times out of 10 when they arrive. They drag their teams forward and strike out of nothing. The underwhelming feeling with Dessers is the lack of reliability that he can deliver that attribute, which would arguably make him the “title-winning number nine” referred to by Guidi this week.

Hamza Igamane has been in inspired form of late and has really perked up the spirits of the Ibrox crowd. Danilo is also a forward player who has been given more regular chances of late, which could eventually spell the end for Dessers who has two-and-a-half years remaining on his deal in Glasgow.

In other Rangers news, Igamane is attracting Premier League attention south of the border.

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