Glasgow Rangers haven’t quite had a player who has polarised the supporters like Cyriel Dessers before. Yes, in the past there have been plenty of squad members who have dazzled one minute before falling away the next.
Kris Boyd could be devastating in front of goal, but if he was isolated up front, then it often felt like the Ibrox side was playing with ten men.
Fashion Sakala was another who could be utterly thrilling to watch at times, while failing to score from the simplest of chances in certain games.
The same applies to every club in the country, but Dessers might just be an anomaly.
Cyriel Dessers' polarising time at Rangers
The Nigerian has a decent strike rate for Rangers since joining the club back in the summer of 2023.
Dessers has played 99 games for the club, scoring 44 goals and grabbing 16 assists in the process. That works out as a goal every 2.2 matches. Furthermore, he records a goal contribution once every 1.65 matches for the Light Blues.
How then, can someone with this sort of record be criticised by certain members of the fanbase?
During his first season at Ibrox, the 30-year-old featured in 35 Premiership games, going on to score a more than respectable tally of 16 goals in the process. Dessers averaged 2.9 shots per game in the top flight along with finishing the season with a conversion rate of 16%.
However, he managed to miss 27 big chances during these 35 matches, a staggering statistic and one can only imagine how many goals he would have scored had his composure in front of goal been slightly better.
His output in front of goal has been impressive during the current season too. A total of 22 goals and seven assists have been recorded by the striker in 45 games.
The former Feyenoord hitman certainly has his strengths, but will the new manager seek to use him on a regular basis?
His performance against Fenerbahçe during the first leg of the Europa League last-16 tie was arguably his finest since joining the Gers.
Not only did he score once – with two efforts being disallowed – but Dessers also attempted five dribbles, made one key pass and won 50% of his aerial duels.
The centre-forward didn’t give the defenders a moment’s peace, using his strength and power to get the better of them consistently.
If he can add a few more goals to his tally before the end of the season, it would certainly put him in the shop window ahead of the summer transfer window.
Dessers cost Rangers £4.5m nearly two years ago, but his value has dropped since then.
Cyriel Dessers' transfer value in 2025
Despite putting in some decent displays of late, especially against the Turkish side in Europe, Dessers’ market valuation has dropped.
Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, the player is currently worth €4m (£3m), which is less than the £4.5m that was paid to sign him.
Given the fact he is on the wrong side of 30, this summer may just be the perfect chance to cash in on the striker.
It won’t be the first time the club have sold a player who failed to live up to expectations. Last summer, Philippe Clement sold one of Michael Beale’s signings after a torrid six-month stint at Ibrox.
Where is he now? Shining in the Dutch top flight while being valued more than Dessers.
Rangers flop is worth more than Dessers after leaving Ibrox
Beale made plenty of mistakes during his dismal ten-month spell in charge of the Light Blues, but signing Sam Lammers is one of the worst.
The Dutchman made the move to Scotland for a transfer fee in the region of £3m, joining from Italian side Atalanta.
The forward had scored just six senior goals between the start of the 2020/21 season and joining Rangers three years later. Hardly the prolific figure the club so desperately needed.
As the weeks wore on, it transpired that Lammers was not worth £3m. Far from it. He managed to play 31 games for the Light Blues in all competitions, yet only scored twice and grabbed a solitary assist.
He joined FC Utrecht on loan midway through the season and proved his worth back in his homeland, netting 11 times in just 20 games.
Goals
11
7
Assists
2
1
Shots per game
1.8
2.5
Goal conversion percentage
23%
13%
Big chances created
2
4
Total duels won per game
2
2.6
Last summer, he made the move to Twente and he has continued where he left off in the Eredivisie.
The Dutch side paid a reported £2.5m fee to secure his signature last year, which meant the Gers suffered just a £500k loss on the player.
Should they have given him a second chance, however? For Twente, Lammers has scored nine goals and grabbed two assists across 31 games.
Two of those goals have come in the Europa League, scoring against Manchester United and Nice, impressing in Europe’s premier club competition.
When compared to his positional peers in the competition, Lammers currently ranks in the 11% for progressive passes (3.26), while also ranking in the top 11% for passes into the final third (1.83) and in the top 6% for successful take-on percentage (66.7%).
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Perhaps Scotland didn’t suit his style of play, evidenced by the fact he scored just twice during his stay in Glasgow.
Now, having starred in the Netherlands, Lammers is currently valued at €5m (£4m) according to Transfermarkt.
This is clearly due to his improved performances since leaving Rangers, especially in Europe, meaning the forward is worth more than Dessers.
If the 27-year-old had played in a different role for the Light Blues, might things have been different?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, that’s for sure. If Lammers continues his fine form, he might just be able to seal a move to another big side this summer.
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