Rangers Board Engulfed in Controversy as AEK Athens Submit Massive Offer for Cyriel Dessers
Rangers Football Club has been plunged into internal turmoil after Greek giants AEK Athens tabled a stunning €15 million bid for Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers — a move that has divided opinion within the Ibrox boardroom and sparked outrage among a section of the Gers faithful.
Dessers, who scored 19 goals in all competitions last season, has become a central figure in Rangers’ attack since his arrival from Cremonese in 2023. Despite a rocky start to life in Glasgow, the 30-year-old silenced his critics with a string of decisive performances in the latter half of the campaign, including crucial goals in the Europa Conference League and Old Firm derbies.
Now, AEK Athens have come knocking with a massive offer that has reportedly turned heads among several members of the Rangers board. The Greek side, keen to bolster their frontline ahead of a return to the UEFA Champions League, are said to view Dessers as the missing piece in their attacking puzzle.
However, the proposed deal has sparked a fierce debate inside the Rangers hierarchy. While a faction of the board — led by financial director Gavin Walker — is in favour of cashing in on Dessers at what they see as the peak of his market value, others, including newly appointed manager Russell Martin, are pushing back firmly.
According to club insiders, Martin views Dessers as “crucial” to his plans for next season and has urged the board to resist the temptation of a quick windfall. “Russell sees Cyriel as a leader and one of the few players who can carry the team through big European nights,” a source close to the manager revealed. “Letting him go now would undermine everything we’re trying to build.”
The situation has spilled beyond the boardroom and into the public arena, with supporters taking to social media to voice their discontent. The hashtag #KeepDessers began trending on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, with fans demanding the club reject AEK’s approach and show ambition in the transfer market.
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd weighed in during a Sky Sports segment, stating, “If Rangers want to challenge Celtic and make any impact in Europe, they need to keep their best players — not sell them off at the first whiff of cash.”
AEK Athens, for their part, are said to be “confident” a deal can be struck, with personal terms reportedly agreed in principle with the player’s representatives. Dessers himself has remained tight-lipped on the matter, though sources suggest he is open to the idea of playing Champions League football in Greece.
As tensions mount behind the scenes, fans are bracing for a decision that could shape the club’s short-term future. Whether Rangers choose financial prudence or footballing continuity remains to be seen — but one thing is clear: the Cyriel Dessers saga is far from over.
