RANGERS COULD SEAL A MOVE FOR BIG MATONDO UPGRADE AS PRICE TAG DROPS
Glasgow Rangers have made an inspired start to their transfer business this summer, already bringing six new arrivals to Ibrox.
It highlights how important next season is for Philippe Clement and his coaching staff that he is acting swiftly, with the vast majority of signings all aged 22 or under.
There is still over a month until the new season commences. Could the Belgian make another handful of signings prior to then? Time will tell, but he has certainly been given a boost in his pursuit of one player.
Rangers in the mix for Premier League winger
Abdallah Sima spent last season on loan at the Light Blues, but he returned to Brighton and Hove Albion following the conclusion of the campaign.
Previously valued at around £8m by the Seasiders, this price tag may well have dropped amid a fresh update.
According to the Sussex Express (via The Rangers Review), this fee is set to decrease due to the winger entering the final 12 months of his current contract at Brighton.
Fabian Hurzeler, the new head coach at Brighton, is yet to assess the player, but the fact his fee is set to drop could be good news for Rangers.
Why Abdallah Sima is an upgrade on Rabbi Matondo
The Senegal international winger enjoyed a wonderful season in Glasgow during 2023/24, scoring 16 goals in 39 matches for the club across all competitions.
Compare this to Matondo, who netted just six goals in 31 games, which suggests that Sima is clearly a much more clinical presence in the final third.
| Abdallah Sima's Rangers statistics last season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | Premiership | Europa League |
| Goals | 11 | 3 |
| Assists | 2 | 0 |
| Big chances created | 2 | 0 |
| Key passes per game | 0.8 | 1 |
| Successful dribbles per game | 1.2 | 1.8 |
In the Premiership last season, Sima averaged 0.8 key passes per game, succeeded with 1.2 dribbles and averaged 2.9 shots per game.
Matondo, on the other hand, averaged 0.6 key passes, succeeded with 1.2 dribbles and managed 1.7 shots per game, again evidence that Sima would be a better choice on the left wing ahead of the new season.
Clement will be looking for more members of his team to chip in with goals next season and Sima - who was dubbed "electric" by teammate James Tavernier - proved that he didn’t lack ambition with regard to his form in front of goal.
The 6 foot 2 gem was hailed as a player who could “play an important part in the last two months” by Clement following his return from injury, but the final six months of his spell at the club were disrupted by an injury sustained on international duty.
Much will depend on how much money the 50-year-old has to spend over the next few weeks of the transfer window, which could rely on him moving on a few current first team players.
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Philippe Clement is eyeing swoop for a talented winger who shone in the Eredivisie last season
Knowing that Sima already has experience of the Premiership, plus knowing his teammates, would surely make the signing a no-brainer if the transfer fee was realistic.
It could be interesting to see how the story develops. Hopefully, by the time the window closes, Sima is a permanent addition to the Ibrox side.
2024-06-30T19:28:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd