Glasgow Rangers are on the hunt for more attacking options this summer as Philippe Clement looks to build a team that has a realistic chance of winning domestic silverware, particularly the Premiership title, this season.
Oscar Cortes and Vaclav Cerny have both joined on loan deals until the end of the season, while Hamza Igamane arrives from AS Far. All three have points to prove in Scotland as they look to give Clement some exciting options in the final third.
More will be needed, especially if Rangers reach the group stages of either the Champions League or Europa League, with injuries derailing the club’s 2023/24 campaign in spells.
There is still plenty of time left to make new signings, but the Belgian manager will need to act swiftly if he is to register them for their first Champions League qualifying tie.
Could the manager perhaps turn to the continent for a new attacking option? As it appears, the Light Blues have made a bid for a talented Portuguese winger.
Rangers make offer for Porto sensation
According to Portuguese newspaper Record in their print edition (29th July, page 31), the Light Blues reportedly offered Porto £5m in order to sign Goncalo Borges from the club this summer, but this offer was deemed unsuitable.
It looks as though the Portuguese top flight side are holding out for an offer in the region of £12.6m, which could prove to be a stumbling block for Clement and co.
It is clear there are a new transfer strategy in place at the club this summer, as the 50-year-old Belgian is clearly eyeing young players who have a high ceiling for development, which could then see the club sell them for a solid profit.
Rangers summer signings so far
Player
Club signed from
Connor Barron
Aberdeen
Hamza Igamane
AS FAR
Clinton Nsiala
AC Milan
Liam Kelly
Motherwell
Oscar Cortes
RC Lens (loan)
Vaclav Cerny
Wolfsburg (loan)
Mohamed Diomande
FC Nordsjaelland
Jefte
Fluminense
Via Transfermarkt
Borges certainly fits the profile of what the club are looking for. Will the price demands put Clement off, however?
It could be worth negotiating with Porto, especially as he could be a much better option to have than Scott Wright next season.
Scott Wright’s future remains unclear at Rangers
The winger has made a total of 117 appearances for Rangers since signing from Aberdeen in January 2021 but has only scored 12 goals in the process.
With Clement desperate to upgrade certain sections of his first-team squad, Wright should have been one of the first players to be sold this summer, yet he still finds himself in the picture.
According to Football Insider (via the72), Sheffield Wednesday appear to be the frontrunners with regard to signing Wright on a permanent basis this summer, as Clement looks to secure a fee for the winger.
The report claims that Rangers will accept a bid of less than £1m in order to move him on, as this will be the final chance of receiving a fee before his contract expires next summer.
In 33 appearances last term, Wright scored just four goals, with two coming during the final few league matches of the season, failing to contribute much going forwards.
It is clear that his time is up at Ibrox and the quicker Clement moves him out, the better.
Borges is three years younger than Wright and while he isn’t much of a goalscorer, he certainly offers more dynamic qualities going forward.
Goncalo Borges’ Porto statistics
Borges can operate on both the right and left wings, offering an excellent degree of positional flexibility which Clement could take full advantage of, especially if there are injuries.
Having registered nearly 20 goal contributions for the youth teams, Borges made his senior debut for Porto in the 2021/22 campaign. Since then, he has played 50 times for the senior side, yet registered just three assists, which is a poor rate.
Last season, he played 17 times in the Portuguese top flight, yet started just one game, averaging 18 minutes per game.
Despite this lack of action on the field, the winger still created four chances, averaged 0.6 key passes per game, grabbed four assists and succeeded with 0.6 dribbles per game – a success rate of 58% – proving that he was keen to make an impression whenever offered a chance in the team.
Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson profiled the winger amid the latest rumours linking him to the Light Blues with a move for him, saying: “He’s a tricky right winger with pace and the confidence to take defenders on.
“Also really good at receiving the ball with his back to defenders and turning them.
“Finishing listed as a ‘weakness’ due to no goals from nine shots.”
The finishing aspect is concerning, as Clement will be looking for his wingers to step up and contribute with goals during the upcoming season, taking the pressure off of the centre-forwards.
It isn’t for the lack of trying, however. Last season, Borges averaged 2.78 shots per 90, while also averaging 6.76 shot-creating actions and 0.92 goal-creating actions per 90 in the top flight, which is evidence of his desire to make things happen in the final third.
Of course, his finishing skills will clearly need plenty of work should he make the move to Glasgow, but he isn’t quite the finished article as yet, and it is something that Clement could work on.
Borges looks really exciting and could offer some much-needed pace on the flanks for the manager, something which was lacking last season.
Proposal submitted: Rangers make offer to sign £5k-p/w forward for Clement
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ByBen BrowningJul 29, 2024
Much will depend on how much the club are willing to spend on the 23-year-old, especially with further targets in mind, which could see Borges slip through their fingers.
Being linked with these sorts of players shows that the Light Blues are heading in the right direction when it comes to exciting transfers.
The main thing now is to make sure they end up at Ibrox, rather than another European club, something where Champions League football could make all the difference.