Nigerian forward Cyriel Dessers delivered a timely reminder of his prowess, netting a hat-trick in Rangers' commanding 5-0 victory over Fraserburgh FC in a Scottish Cup Fourth round fixture on Sunday at Ibrox Stadium.
Dessers, who has frequently faced ridicule since his arrival at the club, has fallen out of favour at Rangers. The emergence of Moroccan forward Hamza Imgane and the return of Danilo from injury have relegated him to third-choice striker, limiting him mostly to substitute appearances.
Given a starting role on Sunday by Philippe Clement, the 30-year-old missed a golden opportunity in the 6th minute, much to the disappointment of the Gers faithful. However, he redeemed himself by netting Rangers' opener in the 27th minute.
The hosts extended their lead shortly after the break, with Clinton Nsiala scoring in the 52nd minute. Dessers added his second of the match in the 57th minute, making it Rangers' third, while Ross McCausland netted the fourth in the 74th minute. Dessers capped off the victory by scoring his third and Rangers' fifth goal in the 90th minute.
With his goals on Sunday, Dessers has now netted four times in two matches, following his strike in Rangers' midweek victory over Aberdeen.
Should Rangers reconsider letting Dessers depart in January?
Cyriel Dessers’ recent form raises questions about whether Rangers should rethink their reported plan to part ways with the Nigerian forward during the January transfer window.
Despite being linked with Serie A sides Empoli and Cagliari, as well as French club Saint Etienne, he has proven his worth with a tally of 16 goals across all competitions this season. His ability to find the back of the net, as evidenced by his recent hat-trick, suggests he still has plenty to offer the team.
While competition for the striker position is fierce, Dessers’ knack for scoring crucial goals could be invaluable for Rangers’ ambitions this season. Allowing him to leave could weaken their attacking options, especially with injuries always a concern.
With his current form, the club might benefit more by retaining him and reassessing his role within the squad.
Rescinding the decision to sell Dessers might just be the key to sustaining their attacking prowess.
