Is the deal which took Cyriel Dessers from Cremonese to Rangers for around £4.5 million one of those transfers where just about everyone involved comes out of it worse off?
As the luckless centre-forward plodded through another goalless appearance away at Aris Limassol in the Europa League – denied a much-needed goal by the offside flag as he strays dangerously close to Filip Sebo territory – even the most glass-half full supporter could be forgiven for wondering what on earth Mick Beale had seen in him.
Cyriel Dessers is stuck on just three goals from 15 Rangers appearances, his struggles summed up as he scuffed the tamest of shots into the arms of a grateful St Mirren goalkeeper last time out.
But how are Dessers’ former employers faring? Well, not great.
Relegated from Serie A last term despite Dessers’ best efforts – the Nigerian even found the net against Scudetto winners Napoli in 2022/23 – Cremonese are not exactly thriving without him. The Grigiorossi are already seven points off Antonio Colak’s Parma in top spot, and six adrift of second-place Palermo. They have just three wins so far.
In fact, only one team in Serie B’s top seven have scored fewer than Cremonese’s 12 goals after nine matchdays.
The good news, for Dessers, is that a new head coach means a new start, and a clean slate. Whoever takes Beale’s place – be it Philippe Clement, Kevin Muscat or another, more left-field appointment – will inherit a striker who, for all his critics, has proven himself to be a prolific scorer of goals at previous clubs.
A fresh start incoming
Dessers, lest we forget, broke the 20-goal barrier for Feyenoord in 2021/22. He finished that season as the top scorer in the inaugral Europa Conference League. Dessers also claimed an Eredivisie Golden Boot during his time at a somewhat middling Heracles outfit.
But if Rangers’ recruitment was the straw that broke Beale’s back, then it can hardly come as a surprise that the marquee, misfiring centre-forward is the man shouldering much of the blame.
