There appeared to be a good likelihood that one of the Old Firm club’s current top scorers would go this month. However, the smart money was on Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers, not Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi.
While chatter about a possible Ibrox exodus has subsided a little – Rangers opened negotiations over Cyriel Dessers’ future a fortnight ago, but that is as far as things have progressed at this point – another of Glasgow’s top scorers is prepared to say his goodbyes.
Kyogo is expected to complete a £10 million transfer to French club Rennes before next week’s deadline.
While this alone may not be enough to get Rangers back into the Premiership championship fight (the margin is currently 13 points), the Ibrox supporters will surely miss a man with a 10-goal record against Philippe Clement’s side in 17 games.
With Adam Idah inconsistent – Ross McCormack rated Dessers higher than Celtic’s £9 million player – Kyogo’s abrupt exit remains a very disappointing development for Brendan Rodgers and his team, even if the Premiership title remains in their grasp.
And, while the prospect of Rangers losing Dessers is not the same – Kyogo is Celtic’s talisman, whereas Cyriel Dessers has fallen down the pecking order – Ibrox icon Kris Boyd believes his former club should still be wary of leaving themselves short in the attacking department with much still to play for.
Kris Boyd cautions Rangers not to replicate Celtic’s ‘gamble’ of selling Cyriel Dessers.
“Celtic have made a bold call by flogging Kyogo Furuhashi midway through the season,” Boyd tells the Scottish Sun. “Rangers should think carefully before they do the same with Cyriel Dessers.”
Dessers scored a’sensational’ goal against Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday night, the best effort Old Trafford has seen in continental competition in many a year, bringing his total to 17 for the season.
And Boyd is among those who believe the criticism levelled at the £4.5 million Nigeria international has bordered on the ridiculous at times. Dessers may be capable of the woeful but, as Man United found out, he can also produce the ‘unbelievable’ too.
“Celtic have taken a gamble by selling Kyogo,” Boyd adds, . “Rangers need to be careful. With Danilo out again, Clement has only Hamza Igamane and Dessers as first-team forwards.
“The Moroccan has enormous potential, but he is young and still has a lot to learn. Dessers has recently come off the bench, yet he continues to score goals. He is well on his way to surpassing last season’s total of 22.
“There’s little doubt that this puts Rangers in a difficult position, as obtaining a few bucks for him would likely be appealing.
“But the notion of selling Dessers without bringing in a replacement would be madness.”
Boyd believes Rangers would struggle to replace Dessers.
Kris Boyd believes that Dessers’ professionalism is an important component. The former Heracles, Feyenoord, and Cremonese player is not the type to ‘throw his toys out of the pram’, even if Dessers is looking for some clarity on his place in Clement’s future plans.
And, if Rangers were to cash in, finding a centre-forward capable of scoring nearly 20 goals while struggling for regular minutes and delivering true elite-level excellence as witnessed at Old Trafford may be nearly difficult given their low budget.
Boyd, a five-time Scottish Premiership Golden Boot winner in his own playing career, believes that Dessers should only be sold if someone of ‘the same quality’ comes in. “That ain’t happening unless they pay a lot of money, which [CEO] Patrick Stewart has already said will not happen.”
