Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers remains the subject of ongoing transfer speculation this summer.
Despite registering an impressive 18 goals and two assists across 35 Scottish Premiership appearances, the 30-year-old Nigerian international still faces criticism and uncertainty over his future at Ibrox. Most recently, Greek side AEK Athens have reportedly shown strong interest in securing his services, and are prepared to spend significantly to do so.
Kris Boyd Urges Rangers to Retain Dessers
While a move away from Glasgow appears increasingly possible, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has publicly called on the club to retain Dessers. The Sky Sports pundit believes new manager Russell Martin should resist the critics and build his attacking line around the Nigerian forward.
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Mail (10 June), Boyd said: “People are quick to talk down Dessers, but scoring the number of goals he has is no small feat. Others like Danilo, who cost £5.5 million, have barely featured. You’d expect more from them. Hamza Igamane has been inconsistent.
“But Dessers, who has been finding the net regularly, is the one getting all the heat — even though he’s consistently delivering. The ones offering little get a pass.
“Should Rangers hold on to him? Absolutely. Everyone knows how tough it is to score goals consistently. You’ve got someone doing exactly that, and yet he’s the one being targeted. The real issues at Rangers lie elsewhere. Dessers isn’t one of them.”
Dessers Deserves to Stay After Proving Himself
Boyd’s stance holds weight. Despite constant transfer talk, Dessers has repeatedly stepped up for Rangers, proving to be their most reliable goal threat. Neither Danilo nor Igamane has managed to outshine him, and interim boss Barry Ferguson continued to back him despite outside noise.
Critics often highlight his missed chances, but the Nigerian forward’s goal return speaks for itself — especially in a side that has struggled for consistency.
The six-cap international has also publicly expressed his desire to stay at the club. Given his commitment and output, selling him would be a risk — especially when trying to find a more effective replacement.
With the likes of Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande potentially drawing interest from Premier League clubs this summer, the club’s new majority owners — the 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh — might be better off focusing their resources on strengthening other key areas.
Dessers may well prove to be a vital part of Russell Martin’s rebuild and could play a leading role in the next chapter at Auchenhowie — a remarkable turnaround from just a few months ago, when his future in Scotland appeared to be in serious doubt.
