Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl must surely be looking forward to the January transfer window after his side were beaten 2-1 by Ferencvaros on Thursday night.
The Light Blues boss arrived after the summer transfer window, managed by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, meaning he had no chance to bring in any of his own players.
However, Rangers signed 12 recruits over the summer, meaning they may have to part ways with a few players to make room for new recruits at Ibrox.
Players who could leave Rangers in January
Clinton Nsiala and Rabbi Matondo could be candidates to move on as they are the only two senior outfield players who have yet to play a single minute in a competition, according to Transfermarkt.
If they want to play regular football in the second half of the campaign, Nsiala and Matondo may have to leave Ibrox, on loan or permanently, next month.
Kieran Dowell, meanwhile, made six appearances under Russell Martin at the start of the season and is now linked with a loan move to Hull, which could see him finish out the remainder of his Rangers contract down south.
Djeidi Gassama is another player linked with a move away from Ibrox in January. He is a reported target by Spanish club Villarreal, who are “exploring” the possibility of a deal for the winger next month.
Villarreal’s interest in signing the Frenchman presents the Light Blues with an intriguing dilemma ahead of the January transfer window, as they could have an important decision to make.
Why Rangers should sell Djeidi Gassama
Rangers signed the 22-year-old striker from Sheffield Wednesday for a reported £2.2 million this summer, and they are expected to ruthlessly cash in on him if the Spanish side are prepared to offer a decent profit on the deal.
The Frenchman’s performances for the Gers this season have been inconsistent at best, and his recent performances on the pitch suggest he should be left out of the squad.
Rangers have four more Scottish Premiership matches before the January window opens and Rohl is not expected to start another game before being sold to Villarreal in January as he has not done enough to warrant a starting place.
|
Gassama |
Premiership |
Europa League |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
15 |
6 |
|
Begin |
13 |
6 |
|
Goals |
1 |
1 |
|
Minutes per goal |
1,171 |
480 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.9 |
0.7 |
|
Big chances created |
1 |
1 |
|
Aids |
1 |
0 |
|
Statistics via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, Gassama has only scored two goals in 21 Premiership and Europa League matches, despite starting almost every game, showing that he has been unreliable in front of goal.
His dismal form in the final third of these competitions came as a surprise after starting his career at Ibrox with four goals in six matches in the Champions League qualifiers.
The 23-year-old striker has failed to live up to the hype generated by his debut scoring run, with just two goals in all competitions since the end of the Champions League qualifiers.
Rangers Journal creator Kai Watson said Gassama has been “a ghost” since those early weeks of the season, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment when you consider his form in the Premiership and Europa League.
Meanwhile, Mikey Moore, who has scored two goals in his last three appearances, and Findlay Curtis, who created a “big chance” off the bench against Ferencvaros (Sofascore), are waiting in the wings to take his place on the left flank.
With the Rangers having two other viable options on the left side, in Moore and Curtis, Rohl can afford to remove Gassama from the starting lineup for the next four games, using him instead as an impact replacement.
This would then give the other two players a chance to prove they have what it takes to retain this position in the future, allowing Rangers to ruthlessly take advantage of Gassama should Villarreal come knocking in January.
The sale of the French ‘ghost’ could also provide Rohl with the funds to recruit his own players in other positions, depending on how much the Spaniards are willing to pay for his services.
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Rangers should sign an attacking midfielder who would be a major upgrade over Thelo Aasgaard.
Therefore, placing Gassama on the bench for the next few weeks before selling him in January could be a move that would be in the club’s best interest, if Villarreal’s interest is serious.
