Rangers could sign their own Salah in late move for £3m Diomande partner
Glasgow Rangers are closing in on the signing of midfielder Mohammed Diomande, with the player having flown in to Glasgow today to finally complete his £4.5m move to the Gers.
This will be Philippe Clement’s second January signing following the arrival of Fabio Silva on a loan deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and with just eight days left until deadline day, the Belgian manager will be hoping he can lure another player or two to the club.
There is no doubt that the 49-year-old will be keen on bolstering his attacking options and this could lead him to bring in another winger or centre-forward.
The long-term injury suffered by Abdallah Sima on international duty has heightened this need and the club have been linked with numerous players over the previous few weeks.
Rangers’ search for new signings
Clement has been busy during the winter break and one player who the club have been linked with is Vitesse Arnhem winger Million Manhoef.
At the start of the month, TEAMtalk reported that the Gers were keen on bringing the Dutchman to Glasgow during the January transfer window and that it could cost them a fee of around £3m.
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With news of Sima’s injury, however, a move for the youngster must now be a priority, especially as he can play on both flanks and Clement may be tempted into making a concrete offer for the talented winger.
This notion is certainly backed up by Football Scotland, who also state that the blow regarding Sima should push Clement into trying harder to sign Manhoef, although no official approach has been made as yet.
Could things change in the next seven days, however? Especially if the Gers struggle in their matches against Hibs tonight and St Mirren on the weekend.
Not having Sima’s direct goalscoring threat will be tough to handle for the manager, and he will be forced to play Rabbi Matondo on the left wing in his absence.
Abdallah Sima has been Rangers’ best attacker this season
When the Senegal international joined the club last summer on a temporary switch from Brighton and Hove Albion, his talent was obvious, but it was clear he may need time to settle.
Fast-forward six months, however, and Sima entered 2024 having scored 15 goals and grabbing two assists across 33 matches for the Light Blues, thus ranking second among the squad for goals scored this term.
His impact has been impressive and not just in terms of goals either, as he also ranks first in the squad for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and second for total shots per game (three), proving himself to be a handful in the opposition penalty area.
There is no timeline for his return, but not having him in the starting XI is a significant blow to Clement and the rest of the first team, especially as they chase a treble.
Although Manhoef is still developing, could he be an ideal player to perhaps replace Sima in the squad and hit the ground running should he move to Glasgow this month?
The stats that show why Million Manhoef can replace Abdallah Sima
Predominantly a right-winger, the 22-year-old has played on the left side of the pitch 27 times during his fledgling career so far, scoring four goals and providing four assists, which is not a bad tally considering it is not his favoured position.
With new signing Diomande looking to fill the left slot in central midfield, the Ivorian could perhaps link up well with the young Dutchman, and they could form a solid duo.
Indeed, Diomande has averaged 1.1 key passes per game this season along with creating three big chances and according to analyst John Walker, the young midfielder will “drive with the ball and break quickly” when he wins it in the heart of the midfield and this could allow him to create opportunities for Manhoef.
Not only that, but he could also link up well with the winger in the final third, as he is known for breaking into the penalty box via late runs and this could add another string to Clement’s attacking bow.
Manhoef may not be as prolific as Sima, but he has netted four goals for a team who are bottom of the Eredivisie and struggling to create much during their games this season.
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Indeed, the winger is responsible for 31% of their goals this season and if he can shine that much in a team who are struggling, then imagine him alongside Diomande at Rangers.
Million Manhoef could be Rangers’ own Mohamed Salah
According to Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, when profiling the winger last year, Manhoef is a similar type of player to Mohamed Salah, suggesting he may be Clement’s own version of the current Liverpool phenomenon.
According to WhoScored, both Manhoef and Salah excel at finishing and for key passes, indicating that they are both clinical in front of goal, yet can also showcase their selfless side and create big chances for their teammates.
Not only that, but they both also like to cut in often and this could allow Clement to play the Dutchman on the left without having to worry about a drop in his performances, especially as he would make regular inroads to the opposition penalty area.
Of course, the 22-year-old has a long way to go before reaching the level that Salah has been operating at since his move to Liverpool in 2017, but the talent is clearly there.
Signing Diomande for £4.5m means Clement may not have much room to manoeuvre regarding another expensive outlay, but if he could perhaps move a few players on in the next week or so, it may help his cause.
Another attacker is required before the deadline next Thursday and Manhoef fits the bill perfectly. He is young, has plenty of potential and looks as though he could make an impact at the Light Blues straight away.
Clement does not have much time to act and with the second half of the season promising so much, it could be a risk worth taking.