'Incredible' - BBC pundit rues missed transfer opportunity for Celtic and Rangers, hails player who can 'run like the wind'

Billy Dodds has expressed his disbelief that neither Celtic or Rangers tried to sign Lyndon Dykes over the summer.
Lyndon Dykes (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)Lyndon Dykes (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
Lyndon Dykes (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

The striker has been showered with praise in recent days after putting in a combative display in Scotland’s historic European Championship qualification triumph over Serbia on Thursday evening.

Despite not scoring himself, the 25-year-old led the line impressively, and was a constant thorn in the side of the Serbian defence.

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The clash in Belgrade was just Dykes’ sixth international cap, but he looks to have established himself as Steve Clarke’s go-to danger man in recent months.

At club level, the former Livingston forward has been equally eye-catching this term, and he has been an influential presence for QPR since making a switch to London earlier this year.

But speaking on BBC Sportsound, Dodds admitted that he was shocked that neither Glaswegian club bid to keep him in Scotland during the transfer window.

Reflecting on the parallels between Dykes and former Scotland striker Steven Fletcher, the pundit said: “This guy has something else for me, and that’s that pace and mobility. I don’t think Steven Fletcher [had that].

"Very similar, and I can understand that comparison because there was an intelligence about Fletcher when he did go up. It wouldn’t just be a flick-on, it would be a hold up to bring players into the game.

"I’m not saying Dykes is a better player yet, he’s still got a way to go, but on the evidence I’ve seen, I was surprised that the Old Firm never had a go at him for £2 million. Incredible. Especially the way he he played against them.

"Sometimes when you get a big target man who’s a focal point, who’s got that strength and is quite robust, they don’t have the mobility. But this guy, he can run like the wind.

"This guy’s got more to his game, and more potential.”

Dykes has scored twice on international duty for Scotland, finding the back of the net against the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the UEFA Nations League.

Last season, the rangy forward hit 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions for Livingston.