Glasgow Rangers found out their Premiership fixtures on Thursday, with the Ibrox side facing a tricky start to the league season.
They visit Tynecastle to play Hearts on the opening weekend. Given the Jambos finished third last term, it could prove to be a tough first game and Philippe Clement’s men will need to be at their best to secure all three points.
Due to the delay on work at Ibrox, it remains to be seen where the Light Blues will play their ‘home’ fixtures during the early part of next term, but the most important thing is they begin the season well and win every game.
The Belgian has been hard at work in the transfer market as he seeks to bolster his squad, with another new signing recently announced.
Rangers sign a former academy graduate
With the Gers losing a few players at the end of last season due to their contracts expiring, it was important the manager acted swiftly in order to beef his squad up, especially with regard to signing home-grown talent.
The latest player to join the club is goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who signs on a two year deal from Motherwell.
Of course, Kelly came through the youth academy at Auchenhowie, but left Rangers in 2018 in a search for first team football.
It is a smart signing by Clement, but it might not be the only one to occur this week, as the club are closing in on a move for a striker they have been linked with for several weeks…
Rangers closing in on signing Hamza Igamane
According to Sky Sports, the Light Blues are closing in on finally signing striker Hamza Igamane from Moroccan side AS FAR after weeks of interest.
The Daily Record reported last week that the Ibrox side had struck a deal worth around £1.7m to sign the centre-forward as Clement aimed to strengthen his attacking options.
The report claimed that a medical was set, and the player would be announced shortly after, yet no news has been reported to say he is finally a Rangers player.
This update from Sky Sports suggests that the Belgian is close to finally adding him to his playing squad for next season as he shows no sign of slowing down in the transfer market.
Losing Kemar Roofe, Abdallah Sima and Fabio Silva following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season means the Gers urgently require some attacking reinforcements.
Goals
7
Assists
3
Shots on target per game
1
Key passes per game
0.5
Big chances created
0
Total duels won per game
6.7
Scoring frequency
203 minutes
Igamane may be an unknown quantity, but his statistics speak for themselves last season.
Hamza Igamane’s statistics last season for AS FAR
Long gone are the days of the club signing marquee names from abroad which immediately caught the attention of the supporters.
Nowadays, Clement has to be smart in the transfer window, which indicates hunting far and wide for potential signings.
Igamane may have spent last season in Morocco, yet that shouldn’t take away from just how impressive he was in the final third.
Indeed, across just 23 matches in all competitions, the 21-year-old found the back of the net seven times, while grabbing six assists, showcasing his talents for both scoring and creating chances for others.
He is far from the finished article, yet regular game time in the Premiership and in European competition will give the youngster plenty of opportunity for growth in the next few years.
Domestically, Igamane averaged 2.9 shots per game while also succeeding with 1.9 dribbles per game – a success rate of 64% – and winning an impressive 6.7 total duels per game.
Not only does he love taking the ball past opposition defenders, but his physicality is scarily impressive for such a young talent. With the Scottish game filled with defenders who love to bully players such as Igamane, it is clear he won't be fazed by this should he join Rangers.
He was recently praised by journalist Beth Limb earlier this year, who said via X: “Confident with the ball at his feet, capable of shooting with both feet and links up play very well.
“One to watch in the future.”
The ability to link up well with his teammates will be something which could make him an important member of the squad, especially if Todd Cantwell operates behind him in a number ten role.
Why Hamza Igamane could flourish with Cantwell
Last season, the English attacking midfielder registered five assists in the Premiership while also creating seven big chances and averaging 1.7 key passes per game.
These statistics, although good, are hardly spectacular. Perhaps the former Norwich City starlet requires someone of Igamane’s talent to play in front of him in order to improve these numbers next season.
There is no doubting Cantwell’s obvious talent, yet he can be fairly inconsistent, which is of no use when the club need to win every single match.
The Moroccan is impressive when linking play in order to create chances and this could see Clement form a wonderful attacking duo between the pair next season.
Medical scheduled: Rangers closing in on dream Dessers replacement
Rangers could be closing in on another summer signing…
ByRoss KilvingtonJun 17, 2024
Cantwell has everything in his locker to be a superstar in Scotland. If he hits the ground running next season, he will be vital for the Light Blues.
The early transfer business that Clement has done so far has been fairly impressive, with the bulk of the new arrivals aged 22 or under as he looks to lower the average age of the playing squad.
There are still two full months of the window left, however, which gives him plenty of time to bring in even more of his transfer targets.
With Igamane closing in on his well-documented move to the club, it will be interesting to see just how well he fits in at Ibrox, as it will be his first foray outside of Africa.
This can either make or break the talented striker, but with the incentives of trophies to be won and Champions League football to be played, the 21-year-old will surely be ready for the challenge of a lifetime.
